This is how Susanna Rahkamo reacted to Jan Vapaavuori’s announcement – one thing worries me

Olympic Committee first vice president Susanna Rahkamo surprised the chairman Jan Vapaavuoren about the announcement not to apply for a second presidency. Rahkamo also brings up his concern related to the task.

Rahkamo says that Vapaavuori’s announcement came pretty much out of the blue.

“It was a really nice and good-spirited meeting a week ago in Vierumäki. We went through the strategy of elite sports, and there were very good discussions,” says Rahkamo.

“The media frenzy after Paris has been quite wild.”

Vapaavuori has served as the chairman of the Olympic Committee since 2020, i.e. almost one four-year term. Also two of his most recent predecessors Timo Ritakallio (2016-2020) and Risto Nieminen (2012–2016) took care of washing for one season.

This is Rahkamo’s concern.

“I’m a bit worried that OK’s chairmanship is so turbulent that it changes every four years. This kind of voluntary work shouldn’t be so exhausting that you’d rather leave than stay.”

Vapaavuori announced its decision in the message service X. He didn’t open up the reasons much.

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“The media frenzy after Paris has been quite wild.”

“There is no single reason for this, but it is the sum of many and many types of factors, some of which are personal. I am not going to comment on these reasons in more detail,” Vapaavuori wrote.

Rahkamo did not seek the reasons for Vapaavuori’s decision for this emergency.

“I think that Janne must have thought about what he wants to do with his life and free time after Paris.”

“These are pretty big decisions, maybe we’ll hear the reasons later.”

The presidential election of the Olympic Committee will be held in November, when Vapaavuori will have a successor.

Is Susanna Rahkamo interested in the position of chairman of the Olympic Committee?

“I haven’t really thought about it. I have assumed that Janne will continue. I can’t say, it will be a bit too fresh.”