Ministry Recovers €154,000 in Funding from the Lahti World Cup Organizers

The Ministry of Education and Culture is retrieving €154,000 in subsidies from Salppuri Oy, which is responsible for organizing the Lahti World Cup. According to information received by Yle, the ministry decided this recovery last summer. The original funding amount was €220,000. This decision follows losses related to the event's 100th anniversary competitions and seminar held in spring 2023, as stated by Tiina Kivisaari, director of the sports segment at the Ministry of Education and Culture, in an email to Yle.

The subsidies were provided to cover organizing costs and potential losses from the event. Kivisaari emphasizes that such recoveries are part of the normal duties of the ministry. "All these events generated profits, meaning that a share was reclaimed regarding the profits generated from the event. Such recoveries or subsidy refunds occur a few times annually within the sports sector," Kivisaari explains.

Salppuri Oy is jointly owned by the Finnish Ski Association and Lahti Ski Club, with each entity holding a 50% share.

Sirpa Korkatti, the chairman of the Finnish Ski Association, declined to comment on the matter, directing inquiries to Salppuri Oy’s manager Tomi-Pekka Kolu, who stated he would respond via email on Monday.

Such recoveries are rare. In recent years, recoveries have also been aimed at Kuusamon Erä-Veikot (€102,142). Additionally, amounts have been reclaimed from Vierumäki Country Club (€45,000), the Finnish Curling Association (€10,000), Squash Federation (€3,163), and Finnish Hockey Federation (€3,083).

Recently, the Finnish Ski Association has faced financial difficulties, announcing a loss of nearly two million euros at the group level due to various factors.