Finland sends ski jumping coach Igor Medved home after the Finnish Olympic Committee confirmed a breach of team rules linked to alcohol use during the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Officials said the incident occurred outside official working hours but violated standards agreed by the national team. The decision was taken swiftly following an internal report submitted during the Games.
The Finnish Olympic Committee announced on Thursday that Medved had already left Italy and returned to Finland. Team leader Janne Hanninen said the response reflected the seriousness with which team conduct is treated during the Olympics.
“We take breaches of our team rules seriously and reacted without delay. Medved travelled home today, and the issue relates to alcohol use,” Hanninen said in a statement released by the committee.
Medved released a brief apology through the Olympic Committee, addressing athletes, staff, and supporters.
“I want to apologise to the whole Finnish team, the athletes, and the fans. I hope the team can focus on the competitions and continue its work in peace. I will not comment further,” Medved said.
The Finnish Ski Association, which employs Medved, confirmed that a full review of the situation will take place once the Olympics conclude.
Following Medved’s departure, Finland appointed Lasse Moilanen to lead the men’s ski jumping team for the remainder of the Games. He will work alongside women’s coach Ossi-Pekka Valta and high performance director Petter Kukkonen.
The Olympic Committee also cancelled a scheduled press conference on Thursday. The event had been planned as a preview of the large hill competition set for Saturday.
Medved, a Slovenian national, took charge of Finland’s ski jumping team at the beginning of the 2024-25 season. Prior to his appointment, he coached Slovenia’s B national team.
The incident comes at an early stage of the Winter Olympics, with several ski jumping events still ahead. Finland has entries in both men’s and women’s competitions.
While Finland’s ski jumping program has produced top ten finishes during the current World Cup season, it has yet to record a victory.
Despite the disruption, Finnish officials emphasized that the focus remains on athlete performance and maintaining a stable team environment for the remainder of the Olympic schedule.
