Roultege handbook of sport policy/Ian Henry, Ling-Mei Ko
Routledge, 24.07.2013 г.
Finland -The Finnish Ministry of Education Awards grants for athletes proposed by the Olympic Committee and the Paralympic Committee who on the basis of their international performance have potential for winning a medal in the Olympic or Paralympic Games, or in the World Championships. The level of the tax-free sport grant is either €6000 or €12,000 per year. Grants are allocated in both summer and winter Olympic sports as well as in non- Olympic and Paralympic sports. The total amount of sports grants for the year 2004 was €558,000 (Merikoski-Silius 2006). The criterion for allocation of a full (€12,000) Athlete’s Grant is that the athlete has reached 6–8th place in the individual competition of the season’s main event (Olympic Games, World Championships or World Cup overall competition). The criterion for the grant of €6000 is that the athlete has finished 8–12th place in individual competition for these same events. The criterion for the award of a young athlete’s grant is that the athlete attain 12–15th place in the corresponding competitions. An athlete who is awarded a grant must sign a training contract with the given Sports Federation and the Finnish Olympic Committee, in which the athlete agrees to follow the existing anti-doping rules as well as other requirements such as having a personal study program (Kanerva 2004).
In which sports do Finns excel? Finnish athletes often outshine others in motor sports (particularly rally and Formula One), figure skating, shooting sports, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, orienteering, ski jumping, ice hockey and wrestling. In athletics, javelin is a Finnish speciality.
Information from the site of Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture
https://minedu.fi/en/awards-and-decorations1 / Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture
Act on the Promotion of Sports and Physical Activity (390/2015)
The purpose of the Act is to facilitate the opportunities of various demographic groups to engage in physical activity, promote performance sports and associated civic activity, bolster the health and wellbeing of the population, and espouse the growth and development of children and young people.
Decree on the Promotion of Sports and Physical Activity (550/2015)
The Decree contains more detailed provisions on matters such as financial aid for sport and physical activity organisations and eligibility for government aid, regional promotion of sport and physical activity and the National Sports Council.
Act on the Financing of Educational and Cultural Provision (1705/2009)
The act contains provisions on, for example, central government transfers for sport and physical activity as well as government grants for the construction of sports facilities.
Act on Discretionary Government Transfers (688/2001)
The Act contains provisions on the granting of discretionary central government transfers and their use.
Act on Additional Pension Provision for Athletes (1419/2014)
The Act contains provisions on the criteria and procedures for granting additional pensions for athletes.
Act on Liberal Adult Education (632/1998)
The Act defines the principles for liberal adult education tuition in sports and physical activity training centres (sports institutes), for instance, and government funding.
Decree on Liberal Adult Education (805/1998)
The Decree contains more detailed provisions on liberal adult education in sports and physical activity training centres (sports institutes), among other things.
Main legal act - Act on Additional Pension Provision for Athletes (1419/2014)
The Act contains provisions on the criteria and procedures for granting additional pensions for athletes.
A supplementary athlete pension may be granted primarily to Olympic medal winners in recognition of their exemplary contribution to the culture of sport. The pension can also be granted in recognition of a distinguished international career in sports.
The full pension is EUR 1,324.32 a month and the partial pension is half this sum. The pension is subject to tax. When granting the pension, consideration is given to the social status of the candidate and their taxable income. The first actual athlete pensions were granted in 2015.
Pro Urheilu Prizes and Pro Urheilu Medals are awarded in recognition of achievements.
The Pro Urheilu awards amount to EUR 20,000. They are granted to athletes who have reached major international success in their sport. Pro Urheilu awards are granted in recognition of outstanding work in different sports.
Nominees for the awards are prepared by a working group appointed by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The first Pro Urheilu awards were granted in 2000.
On 26 February each year, the Ministry of Education and Culture grants medals for merits in sport and physical activity to commendable people in Finnish sport culture and sport.
Submissions for nominees for a medal must be entered to the Ministry of Education and Culture by 31 October of the year preceding the award.
The medals of merit are:
The Grand Cross of Merit for Finnish Physical Education and Sports is the highest honour and may only be held by twelve living award winners.
The Spikes Prize is awarded each year for merits in promoting gender equality and plurality in sport.
The Spikes Prize may be awarded to an association, group, project or person operating in Finland on a permanent basis. The Prize has been awarded since 1995.
Each year, the Ministry of Education and Culture grants the Schools on the Move awards to schools and municipalities in recognition of their commendable promotion of a physically active culture in the school environment.
Päivi Wathén, Administrative Assistant
OKM, Nuoriso- ja liikuntapolitiikan osasto (NUOLI), Liikunnan vastuualue (LV) 0295330341 [email protected]
Helena Silvennoinen, Administrative Assistant
OKM, Nuoriso- ja liikuntapolitiikan osasto (NUOLI), Liikunnan vastuualue (LV) 0295330290 [email protected]
By providing elite athlete grants and developing the conditions for coaching, the Ministry of Education and Culture promotes performance sports geared toward the achievement of international success. The Ministry does not provide financial assistance to profit-oriented professional sports.
Measures for the development of performance sports include:
-enhancing coaching
-training for coaches and managers
-individual subsidies for athletes
-anti-doping activities
-co-ordination of elite sports
The Ministry of Education and Culture uses athlete grants to ensure that elite athletes can devote their full attention to training. Sports training centres that serve as national elite coaching centres and the construction of sports facilities help improve coaching conditions. Research in sport and fitness sciences is applied in coaching.
The Finnish Olympic Committee is responsible for several advisory, coordination and advocacy tasks in performance sports. The Finnish Paralympic Committee is responsible for the same tasks in elite disability sports. The Research Institute for Olympic Sports (KIHU) is responsible for applied research and development in performance sports and for the dissemination of research data. The Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports (FINCIS) is responsible for the coordination of anti-doping activities and conducting doping tests.