According to sports law expert Olli Rauste, Finnish KHL hockey players probably would not have had to pay contractual fines, even if they had left their club in the middle of the season.
Mikko Lehtonen was one of Finland’s biggest KHL stars. He played in the ruble league until the end of his season. AOP
– The termination of the contract would have cost the player 160 million rubles, or about two million euros at the current rate.
With these words Mikko Lehtonen agent Mika Rautakallio justified to IL that its protector would remain in Russia for the rest of the season, despite the country waging an offensive war in Ukraine.
Sports Law Expert Olli Rausteen it is quite possible that there will be millions of fines in KHL contracts if a player leaves in the middle of a deal.
– But then it will be a practical matter, Rauste begins.
He does not comment on Lehtonen’s deal in this case. He commented on the unilateral termination of the KHL agreements at a general level during the Ukrainian war.
– Players can say in good conscience that the termination of the contract would have resulted in a terrible fine, but in the real world it is very unlikely that they will ever have to pay it, Rauste says directly.
The story continues after the picture.
Olli Rauste shared his views on the contracts of the KHL players. Evening paper
Poor options
According to Rauste, if a Russian club started to collect compensation from a Finnish hockey player, it would first sue in a Russian court.
The court would probably rule that the Finnish player must pay compensation, but if the player is already in Finland, the decision is as empty.
– A judgment given by a Russian court is not recognized in Finland or other Western countries. It wouldn’t matter here, Rauste knows.
The club could also send the verdict to a Finnish bailiff and ask him for help, but even then the result would be an empty lottery.
– After all, a Finnish bailiff would not accept a Russian sentence. That is quite clear.
In practice, the best option for the KHL club to collect money would be to take a lawsuit in a Finnish court.
– Would a Finnish court impose a fine? I highly doubt because there is a war in Ukraine and force majeure situation, Rauste assesses and continues.
– To the public, these things can be justified by the fact that players would have to pay a terrible fine, and on paper that is probably the case, but in fact the risk that they would actually have to pay is, in my opinion, quite small.
The story continues after the picture.
Leo Komarov played in the ranks of the St. Petersburg SKA until the end of the season. AOP
What would the IIHF do?
Some of the players played in Russia until the end of the season on the grounds that they also have a contract with the club for next season. Rauste will not understand the reason if the player leaves the club during the summer and does not return to KHL for next season.
– It doesn’t change whether you leave in the middle of a season or between two seasons. What matters is whether you leave in the middle of a contract or after the contract has been completed.
Could a player play in another European club next season if he has a contract with KHL for next season?
– That would be decided by the IIHF, because we have this international transfer system.
In principle, the International Hockey Federation (IIHF) could halt a transfer to another club on the grounds that the player already has a valid contract with the KHL club.
– But considering that the IIHF itself has thrown Russia and Belarus out of international hockey, I don’t think it’s practically possible for the IIHF to refuse to give a transfer paper to transfer a player to a new Western club.
Finally, Rauste points out that most European players left KHL in the middle of the season, and so far nothing has prevented them from moving on to another club.