The Finnish Floorball Federation’s Competition and Disciplinary Group (KKR) has taken decisive action against a betting scandal, imposing bans on 80 players. This comes after an investigation by the Finnish Centre for Integrity in Sports (SUEK) concluded, ruling out match-fixing within Finnish floorball.
The investigation centered on suspicions of insider trading in two matches and breaches of a strict betting ban. In Finland’s top-tier F-Liiga, players, coaches, and team staff are expressly forbidden from placing bets on games. SUEK’s findings revealed that the investigation examined 115 individuals. Of these, seven cases were dismissed due to procedural time limits, while 20 others were found to be outside the scope of the betting ban.
For the 80 individuals facing sanctions, bans officially took effect on December 3rd. Most of those banned—73 players—are prohibited from competing until January 28, 2026, while five others are banned until February 28, 2026. Additional sanctions extend to one person until March 31, 2026, and another until June 30, 2026. Investigations continue into five more individuals.
These bans will restrict participation in both the F-Liiga and the Inssi-Divar men’s leagues. The sanctions also affect players currently in the federation’s lower leagues and those competing abroad.
In parallel, SUEK has announced an additional investigation into a men’s World Championship match between Finland and Norway held on December 13, 2024. However, results from this scrutiny are not expected until next year.
Despite confirming these bans, the Finnish Floorball Federation has decided to keep the identities of the suspended players confidential. The decision aligns with a request by the federation’s chairman, Olli Rauste, to respect privacy laws and ethical considerations. The federation explained, “Our conclusion is that from a legal perspective, the arguments for non-publication are strong and are clearly based on the current EU interpretation of data protection. In the ethical and moral assessment, convincing arguments can be found both for and against the publication of names. After extensive consideration, our board of directors unanimously decided not to publish the names.”
The SUEK investigation found no evidence of game manipulation or match-fixing among the individuals involved. Thus, the bans are strictly related to violations of the betting prohibition.
The scandal has undeniably impacted the reputation of floorball. According to F-Liiga CEO Kimmo Nurminen, the case has caused “significant reputational damage.” Nurminen asserted, “The federation strongly condemns the violations that have occurred, which have led to the most extensive penalties in the history of the sport. We have acted as openly as we could and have actively cooperated with various stakeholders. Now we will make sure that nothing similar happens in the future.” He added that from a humane perspective, the penalties issued are a sufficient response to the breach. The potential public shaming from naming the involved parties would be excessive and irresponsible.
Veikkaus, Finland’s state-owned betting agency, was instrumental in bringing the scandal to light, having raised initial concerns in June about suspicious betting patterns. The anomaly was linked to the F-Liiga 2024-25 playoff between Classic and SPV, and the Finland-Norway World Championship match, which is still under investigation. Veikkaus pointed out that the bets were unusually high and involved accounts that had been dormant.
By mid-September, these concerns had led Veikkaus to suspend all bets on elite men’s floorball in Finland until the SUEK investigation concluded and appropriate disciplinary measures were taken. Mikko Lahti, Veikkaus’ Director of Risk Management and Security, endorsed the federation’s decisions and expressed relief that no match manipulation was found. He stated, “According to investigations, the prohibited betting in floorball has been extensive and systematic. Now that the penalties have been handed out, it is a good time to start from a clean slate. The acts have been serious, but the investigation has not found any evidence of our biggest concern, possible match manipulation. That is a very important matter.”
Lahti emphasized that Veikkaus is ready to take decisive action against abuse, yet hopes for a future devoid of similar scandals. While acknowledging the seriousness of the case, he noted the thorough and consistent handling of the matter, regardless of its complexity, and expressed hope that the sport can now move forward positively.
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