The IRF Urges Osuuspankki: Let Toni Go!
Date: 2002-10-10
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Earlier this week Toni Kemppinen, Finland's #2 (and World #4) Racketlon player, announced that he will probably not be able to make it for the Team event of Gothenburg Racketlon World Open. The reason is apparently that his employer, Fnnish bank Osuuspankki, does not allow him to take a leave.

The team event of World Open is a tournament for national teams that will take place on Friday 1st of November. Allthough played in one single day only the tournament will have similarities with the better known Davis Cup of Tennis and it has been widely anticipated in the international Racketlon community that Sweden and Finland would face each other in the prestigeous final. It would be a historic first clash between the two super powers of international racketlon and it has been generally believed that this might constitute a media breakthrough for the game of Racketlon - since showdowns between Finland and Sweden always do tend to attract a lot of attention.

Team captain Toni Kemppinen's threatening cancellation from the event jeopordizes this whole vision. He is extremely important for the Finnish team and if he is not in it defeat against the Swedes is the only realistic outcome - especially since several of the other elite players behind Toni (most notably World #5 Ari-Matti Koskinen and World #8 Harri Suutarinen) have also indicated that they will not be able to take part.

The president of the International Racketlon Federation, Hans Mullamaa, said earlier today: "We urge Osuuspankki to let Toni go! It should be considered a Finnish national interest and it is certainly in the profound interest of the game of Racketlon to let Toni play in this first ever Racketlon tournament for national teams. History was going to be made in Gothenburg. The anticipated "Finn-kamp" final between Sweden and Finland had the potential of being the Racketlon spectacle of the year. Suddenly we seem to be looking at more of an anti-climax."

Racketlon.com could not agree more. Not only should Osuuspankki let Toni go. If he comes back with a victory for Finland his employer should consider giving him a raise!

For an account of Racketlon in the Finnish language Osuuspankki managers can have a look at page 28 in this Finnish Tennis magazine. Or read this introduction to Racketlon.

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