OK has two weeks to submit a report to the ministry.
The Ministry of Education and Culture demands a report from the Finnish Olympic Committee on the organisation’s harassment. Possible measures will be considered after the investigation.
Director General of the Department of Youth and Sports Policy of the Ministry Esko Ranto told Iltalehti about the request for clarification.
Ranto says the ministry was told Mika Lehtimäki received a warning for the first time just a moment before Yle published the first news on the subject.
Since then, the tangle has expanded. Lehtimäki is accused of much more than inappropriate communication. He is also alleged to have physically damaged his victims.
Ranto says the ministry has been informed of the new allegations “mainly through the media”.
The Ministry of Education and Culture now wants the Olympic Committee to give a full account of what has happened and what to do next.
– We have sent a request for clarification to the Finnish Olympic Committee. We are asking for answers on how the principles of good governance are followed there and how issues related to misconduct are handled there and how they will be handled in the future, Ranto says.
The Olympic Committee has two weeks to report to the Ministry.
Ranto does not comment on whether the chairman of the board of the Olympic Committee has On Jan Vapaavuori conditions to continue in office.
– It is not our (ministry’s) job to take a stand on the personnel choices of any organization. Organizations themselves want their trust bodies and employees, it is our job to assess what it looks like and what kind of government grants we are giving.
Is it possible for the ministry to take any action? Those where funding is considered new?
– I can’t comment. The matter will be considered after the report is received, Ranto says.
Yle reported on Mika Lehtimäki’s inappropriate behavior last week. Jussi Eskola