The ESF European Squash Championships will continue the chain of fair play and clean sports messengers of more than 30 international championships held in Finland. The ESF European Team Division 1 & 2 Squash Championships will be held in Helsinki from 26 to 29 April 2023. The fair play and clean sports challenge campaign organised by the Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports FINCIS was launched already in 2008.
As a fair play event, the ESF European Squash Championships will receive FINCIS’ Golden Baton from the European Para Youth Games, which was held in Pajulahti in July 2022.
“In sports, as in other parts of society, it is important that activities are open and fair to everyone. We must also respect each other and the common rules. It is really great to challenge a new sport to join in passing on this fair play message,” says athlete Aamu Hulmi, who will hand over the symbol of the challenge campaign, the Golden Baton, to the hosts of the ESF European Squash Championships at the opening ceremony.
The opening ceremony of the ESF European Team Division 1 & 2 Squash Championships will be held on Tuesday, 25 April. In Helsinki, in the second venue in the Mall of Tripla. The Golden Baton for the squash family will be accepted by one of Finland’s best-known squash players, Olli Tuominen.
“In squash, you share the space with your opponent. There is no net in between, so the game is literally on the opponent’s “skin”. This requires particularly fair play and respect for the opponent. So let’s play fair – and clean!” encourages Tuominen, who played over 500 professional matches in his extensive career.
Fair play and clean sports are prominently featured throughout the ESF European Squash Championships. FINCIS’ information stand, where you can learn about fair play and clean sports, will be at the competition venue in Tripla on 27 April from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and in Tali on 28 April from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. At the information stand, both the athletes and the public can take the fair play message forward by voting for the Fair Play athlete of the competition. The athlete with the most votes will be rewarded at the closing ceremony.
From FINCIS’ stand, you can grab a flag sticker of your favourite country and cheer on your favourites in the spirit of fair play. At the stand, athletes can test their knowledge in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Play True Quiz, which is available in a number of languages. The best quizzers will take home a sports water bottle as a prize.
Further information:
Susanna Sokka
FINCIS – Communication Manager
tel.: +358 40 740 7477
susanna.sokka@suek.fi