Marko Asell was awarded with a golden cross of merit

The SDP Member of Parliament and Olympic medalist Marko Assell has been awarded the Golden Cross of Merit for exercise and sports. Asell is one of eight people who were awarded that cross.

The merit badges were awarded by the Minister of Sports, Sports and Youth Mika Poutala (kd). Aselli’s badge of merit was requested by the State Sports Council, to which the MP himself belongs.

Asell is one of the Sdp MPs who joined the harassment scandal reported in January.

IS reported that Asell had, among other things, inappropriately touched women after the Christmas party of the parliamentary groups.

Asell later apologized on their Instagram and Facebook accounts.

“I have behaved inappropriately in some situations and also cultivated a bad sense of humor. I am sincerely sorry. I have learned from my mistakes and I promise to be more considerate in the future. I will not comment on the matter any further,” he wrote at the time.

STT newsthat of the special expert of the Ministry of Education and Culture Hannu Tolonen according to, there was no discussion about rewarding Aselli with the merit cross when making the choices. According to Tolonen, the badges must be applied for by the end of October.

Tolonen said that Asell received a badge of merit for his sports achievements, which include, among other things, the Olympic silver medal in wrestling from 1996.

The Golden Cross of Merit was also awarded, among other things, to a member of parliament from the coalition Timo Heinonen.