The consequence of Teemu Pulkkinen's transfer: Jokerit fans are boycotting games: "We cannot accept..."

The Mestis club Kiekko-Vantaa announced on Friday that it has made a comprehensive agreement for the upcoming season with Teemu Pulkkinen.

Pulkkinen has played the last 12 seasons abroad. He was the only Finnish player who continued playing in the KHL after Russia invaded Ukraine. Pulkkinen was last seen in the KHL during the 2023-24 season.

The official supporters’ association of Jokerit, Eteläpääty ry, published a strong statement regarding Pulkkinen’s return to Finland. Eteläpääty announces that it will boycott all Mestis matches between Kiekko-Vantaa and Jokerit in the upcoming season in protest of Kiekko-Vantaa’s decision to hire Pulkkinen.

– His decision to continue his career in the Russian league has been morally questionable and contradicts the values widely shared by the Finnish sports community. Pulkkinen was excluded from the activities of the Lions, which reflects the seriousness of his choice and the resulting trust issues, the statement says.

– We cannot accept that a Finnish club gives a playing position to someone who has continued playing in the KHL after a large part of the international community has condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine as war crimes. Such a choice raises serious moral questions and contradicts the values that the Finnish sports community strives to represent. Sports has the power to influence, and it must also take responsibility on a moral level.

In practice, Eteläpääty’s boycott means that it will not organize visible supporter activities at Jokerit matches organized by Kiekko-Vantaa. Eteläpääty does not intend to support events with visibility or side activities.