Squash player Emilia Soini criticized the grants received by the bowlers – “It’s far from top sport”

Finnish a squash player Emilia Soini30, published a fiery text in the stories section of his Instagram account on Wednesday, in which he criticized the grants awarded by the Ministry of Education and Culture (OKM).

Earlier on Friday, January 2, OKM announced the athlete grants for this year’s summer sports with renewed criteria. The ministry said in its announcementthat the grant is awarded to the most promising successful candidates of the prize competitions.

Of the 76 athletes who received the grant, five were bowlers. For four of these (Peppi Konsteri, Tomas Käyhkö, Essi Pakarinen, Luukas Väänänen) was directly awarded a larger grant of 24,000 euros for two years. Emma to Palermaa a smaller grant of 12,000 euros was awarded for one year.

The decision aroused strong criticism in Soini, ranked 72 in the world squash.

“Finland’s top sports are in a rather worrying state. The whole country is screwed, and the politics related to sports in this country. OKM’s grants gave four bowlers a two-year deal and 24 tons,” Soini wrote on his Instagram account.

He characterized the bowlers’ scholarships as a joke.

“Nothing personal towards them, if they are good, I respect everything they have achieved. But yes, it is far from top sport. A fine and demanding sport, but not a sport.”

Soini is a two-time EC bronze medalist in squash. On the world list, he has been at number 41 at his best.

Bowlers the fact that Finland was sensationally successful in the World Bowling Championships played at the turn of November and December supports the grant. The Finns won no less than six World Cup medals, five of which were gold.

That’s exactly why the executive director of the Finnish Bowling Association Sami Järvilä was confused by Soin’s exit.

“There are disparaging comments. The first thing that comes to mind is that Soini doesn’t understand anything about elite sports,” commented Järvilä.

“Our sport is one of the most competitive sports in the world. And if you compare it to squash, we have 113 national associations and more than a hundred million hobbyists and millions of competitive bowlers, so it is not even understood in Finland how significant a sport bowling is in the world.”

“In my opinion, the reform regarding grants is good, and now our athletes and the sport will finally get what they deserved a long time ago.”

Järvilä reminds that the new criteria for OKM’s grants have already been made known to sports federations after the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

“The sports federations have been involved in the reform of the criteria and accepted them. You would think that the information would have reached the ears of some athletes. That’s why Soini’s text sounds like a completely thoughtless act,” says Järvilä.

Järvilä in my opinion, the creation of more precise criteria will take Finnish elite sports in the right direction, because they will now clearly show in which sports the Finns do well.

“Sports that do not succeed should not receive support. However, the grant is intended for elite sports and for athletes who are at the top of the world,” says Järvilä.

“In my opinion, the reform regarding grants is good, and now our athletes and the sport will finally get what they deserved a long time ago.”

Järvilä clarifies that the bowling association has no need to trample other sports or their enthusiasts.

“If you don’t understand anything about the species, then I understand that you can let such frogs out of your mouth,” says Järvilä.

“Unfortunately, these are often just based on ignorance.”