Time to say goodbye
Dear Shooting Friend
The last Series of my Jury- and ESC technical committee time has been shot. I would like to thank Finnish Shooting Sport Federation and ESC for the great moments I have enjoined in almost 20 years’ time. Special thanks I would give to Ghislaine Briez, who trusted me in many difficult cases.
I have been working at different juries at international competitions 70 times. I have always tried to remember the golden guideline for juries: We are here to help athletes and coaches and to see that no one is cheating.
I have made a lot of mistakes and wrong decisions during that time. But when I have realized it myself or been told by a wiser person, I have raised my left hand and I have contacted an athlete and their coach to admit my mistakes. No one is perfect and I am quite far away from that.
The main reason to step away was an episode that took place at ECH Wroclaw about a week ago. And how rifle jury treated me and my son. The golden guideline was gone.
Shortly: My son used a rifle sling, which he has used for six years at different WCH, ECH and ISSF WCs. He shot his elimination and forwarded to qualification. None of the jury members told him anything. They told the Finnish coach that the Finnish team was using illegal sling, but not to my son.
The next day, in the beginning of the qualification, RO and three members of the rifle jury joined together behind him. RO went to FOP and told Aleksi that he couldn’t shoot with that sling. There was about a minute left of the preparation time. If Aleksi went on, he would get both yellow and red cards immediately. Aleksi stepped up and walked away.
I went to talk to a jury member (Fenati) and I asked what had happened? He said that they had given him an oral warning. I asked him about the rule point on which that warning was based on. Fenati walked away and came back about five minutes later and showed me an incident report. I went outside to check a rule point, but it was something different, so I went back and asked again. Fenati said that he had given me a wrong one and disappeared again. After about 5 minutes he come back and showed a paper where the rule point was. I didn’t have a pen on me, so I asked, if I could take a picture of that paper. In that paper was nopthing else but those numbers. He refused and said that I couldn’t use camera and I needed to find a pen.
Is this kind of behavior in accordance with the sport spirit?
I have been taught that juries should concentrate on big things at official training and PET. In this the case jury waited until qualification, even they knew what was going on at elimination. After they had destroyed Aleksi’s chance to get an Olympic quota, points for European ranking and quota for European Games, they said that the Finnish team could use same sling in the future competitions of the ECH.
If they decide that he has cheated others by using an illegal sling, why will they let him cheat again?
Such bad manners and unprofessional jury work is incredible in the most important competition in Europe. I am no longer working in juries and ESC Technical Committee, and I hope ESC will have enough balls to replace the unprofessional jury members after investigation.
ECH Rifle Jury:
Piero Fenati ITA
Mikko Taussi FIN
Biserka Vrbek CRO
Patryk Brezinski POL
All the best for all of my friends in future!
Marko Leppä
7 thoughts on “Time to say goodbye”
Ainakaan tuossa kuvassa, jossa Aleksi istuu, ei näyttäisi olevan mitään vikaa tai väärää hihnan kanssa? Mikä siinä sitten oli se varsinainen syy, jotta ei voinut ampua ja mihin sääntökohtaan estäminen perustui? Jos ei selvää sääntökohtaa, voisi tietenkin viedä asian urheilijan oikeusturvatoimikuntaan. Onko Jury ollut sääntöjen tasalla? Jos ei, niin näitä henkilöitä ei enää jatkossa pidä päästää tuomarointiin. Olihan tuossa mukana suomalainenkin tuomari, ehkä sieltä se sääntökohta löytyy, onhan hän kouluttanut paljon tuomareita.
Dear my friend, Marko,
I was sad to read what you wrote and I deeply sympathize with you. I am very sorry that you have decided this way, but I can understand you. I learned a lot from you, it was a pleasure to work with you. I hope to see you again at the competitions.
Üdvözlettel / Best regards / Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Pozdrawiam / С уважением / Lep pozdrav / Srdačan pozdrav / Cordialement / Atentamente / Cordiali saluti / Parhain terveisin / 致以诚挚问候 / مع أطيب التحيات
Matthias
Tuo oli selvää ajojahtia yhtä urheilijaa kohtaan, kun samanlaiset hihnat kelpasivat kaiketi seuraavana päivänä. Tuo suomalainen tyyppi tuolla ei taida paljon ymmärtää. Kävi kesällä tutustumassa Lipen ampumaurheilukeskuksen, mikä on olympiakävijämme Kallioisen Eetun kotirata. Tapahtumasta käytti ilmaisua olimme tutustumassa ”haulikolla ammuskeluun.” Jos ei tuon verran ole kunnioitusta urheilua ja urheiluammuntalajeja kohtaan, niin ei tuolla kansainvälisillä estradeilla tarvita mitään pönöttäjää täältä Suomesta. Hyvä, ettei puhunut räiskyttelytä. Harmillisesti oli poistanut päivityksen fb-sivuiltaan kun huomautin hänelle, että eivätkö kuitenkin olleet tutustumassa ammuntaan. Tiedän Sinut Marko jämptinä ja suoraselkäisenä ja suorapuheisena, ja siksi on ilo ollut tutustua Sinuun. Arvostan ja ymmärrän päätöstäsi Marko, joskin surullisin ja raskain mielin, ja olen tosi harmissani Teidän molempien puolesta.
Karua, mutta totta. Minulle soitettiin ja kerrottiin suomen tuomarin pätemisen tarpeestaan tarkoituksellisesti jahdanneen Aleksin ulos.
Onko asia juuri näin en tiedä, mutta tuomariston toiminta oli todella törkeää ja vailla mitään tasoa.
Osanottoni Markolle ja Aleksille.
Hello Marko,
this moment makes me sad.
You’re one of those personalities that people look up to and it’s not just your distinctive voice. Your straightforwardness is impressive, everyone understands you within a second.
You don’t talk or discuss for long, you act and we always get an answer straight away.
The way you deal with the athletes and coaches is always an action at eye level and that will be remembered by everyone.
Many will soon recognize what an extraordinary personality has resigned.
You made your decision for yourself and we have to accept it in all its consequences.
I sincerely hope that you will continue to be available to your athletes and coaches with advice and action.
You can be sure that I will continue to use you as a walking encyclopedia.
Marko, we athletes and coaches will miss you at the Shooting Ranges!
Surullista että tällainen on ylipäätään mahdollista. Eikö nämä luottamustehtävissä olevat henkilöt ole ampujia ja valmentajia varten valittu tehtäviinsä valvomaan sääntöjä tasapuoleisesti eikä tällaiseen episodiin voisi mitenkään kukaan päätyä. Heidät on sinne liiton mandaatilla valittu edustamaan omia maitaan. Mitä SAL on saanut tapahtumista selvityksiä ja miten se reagoi tapahtuneeseen. Kysehän on suomalaisen ampujan oikeuksien puolustamisesta.