Sportsmen’s pensions are not covered after all.
- Pertti Ukkola will not lose his sportsman’s pension.
- More appropriations are presented for pensions.
- Ukkola reveals that he is organizing a gathering of athletes in a smoke sauna on Christmas Eve.
Olympic champion in wrestling Pertti Ukkola ,73, is delighted.
In March, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) published a review of what kind of public expenditure cuts and tax increases could be used to balance the public finances. One proposal for cuts was sportsmen’s pensions.
Negotiating official of the Ministry of Interior Ilari Ahola told Iltalehte on Monday that there will be no cuts in sportsmen’s pensions.
– Has there been such a confirmation? It sounds good for all those who receive a pension, Ukkola said after hearing the news from IL.
26 athletes in Finland enjoy the state’s additional sports pension. The full pension is 1,510.95 euros and the partial pension is 755.47 euros. A pension can be granted to an athlete who has reached the age of 60 and who lives or has lived permanently in Finland.
The extra pension is a recognition of the gold medal the athlete received in the Olympic Games. For a special reason, a pension can also be granted for a significant international sports career.
The story continues after the picture.
Pertti Ukkola is an Olympic champion. Matti Matikainen
In the appropriation proposal for 2024, an increase of 30,000 euros is proposed for the sports pension compared to the current year. It is proposed that the entire sportsman’s pension will rise to 1,596.64 euros per month next year.
– The appropriation increase proposal for 2024 is a total of 9.3 percent, so the Prime Minister can be seen as another reason for the appropriation increase Petteri Orpon the policy of chapter 5.4 of the government program, according to which: “Extra sports pensions are made possible for all those who meet the criteria.” Ahola tells by email.
The Parliament will vote on the Ministry of Education and Culture’s budget for the main category on Tuesday. The vote will determine whether the parliament approves the motion to increase the allocation for the sportsmen’s pension.
A grotesque situation
Pertti Ukkola is a wrestling legend. IL ARCHIVE
Ukkola receives a partial pension of 755 euros. The legend won Olympic gold in Montreal 1976 and later celebrated a world championship, two World Championship bronzes and one European Championship gold in his career.
He has been involved in discussing pensions with decision-makers.
– The sportsman’s pension is a good help. Especially if you get it whole. They have tried hard to push for more people to get a pension. Currently, no new pensions are distributed until someone dies. It’s a grotesque situation.
Ukkola feels that success in sports is highly valued in Finland. After a career, stars are forgotten.
– We always talk and praise when someone succeeds. When the economy should be put into play a little, the state has not been favorable. There are a little more than 20 Finnish individual Olympic champions alive. It wouldn’t be such a big deal for the state to welcome a little.
– Successful people in team sports are a different matter. Today, they are professionals and get paid there. In individual sports, money does not flow in the same way as in team sports.
The legend reminds us how comprehensive top sport is. You don’t work day jobs when aiming for Olympic gold.
During his career, Ukkola trained six hours a day. Sometimes the profession, i.e. sports, was on hiatus due to injuries.
– Especially among the older athletes, quite a few have lived their lives for sports, in which case the work shifts have been quite few. Pension has been a saving grace.
Athletes’ smoke sauna
Ukkola was elected to the Finnish sports gallery of honor in 2015. Petteri Paalasmaa
Ukkola drives to the wrestling gym twice a day, which means driving over a hundred kilometers per day. In March, he was afraid that he would not be able to afford fuel costs if the sportsmen’s pension was abolished.
Now the trips continue.
– Stays fresh when working out with young men at the gym. Enthusiasm remains in life, Ukkola praises.
Ukkola goes to the first wrestling practice at eight in the morning. The second session is between half past five in the afternoon. Between exercises, the legend himself works in the snow or goes for a walk.
– Some advertisement said that life is fast. It is true. Children are starting to be adults. In the retirement phase, it starts to feel like this life wasn’t so terribly long after all. I remember how, in my twenties, I imagined that this would continue like this.
– Now I notice that the neighbor’s face is changing. Mine don’t change!
Ukkola spends Christmas with her daughter in Teiska, Tampere. On the eve of the morning, he heats up the smoke sauna, which is filled with trainees and former competitors.
Ukkola does not reveal names.
– There will be boxers and wrestlers. I planned what to eat and how to sauna. At least there is fish. A Lapland man always eats reindeer.