Over 80 junior shotgun athletes will gather in Orimattila on 10–16 July to compete in the 9th International Junior Shotgun Cup. The event was challenged to participate in the campaign for international sports events.
The Golden Baton of clean sports was presented in Orimattila to signal the event’s commitment to the campaign. The Golden Baton is part of the Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports FINCIS’s work on behalf of fair play. It has been circulated at international championships in Finland since 2009, carrying with it the challenge of clean sports.
The challenge was passed on to the International Junior Shotgun Cup by the World Figure Skating Championships that were held in Helsinki last winter.
“Although figure skating and shooting are very different sports, this challenge demonstrates that in sport the ideal is always the same. Fair and clean competition and ethical values unite all sports. The World Figure Skating Championships was a great event at which the spectators created an equally great atmosphere. We hope you have a fantastic cup here in Orimattila, too,” says Kirsi Greis board member of the Finnish Figure Skating Association.
The Golden Baton was received by the president of the organizing club, the Orimattila shooting sport club (Orimattilan seudun urheiluampujat, OSU), Pertti Könönen and shooting athlete Juho Mäkelä.
“It’s an honor to receive this baton and carry on this fine tradition. Our cup here in Orimattila will be one of fair play and we will honor the tradition of clean sports. Our event is smaller than the World Figure Skating Championships, but hopefully our spectators will be just as enthusiastic. We are also celebrating Finland’s centenary anniversary and Orimattila’s 25th anniversary,” says Könönen.
FINCIS’s will host a clean sports information stand in Orimattila on Friday 14 July from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Athletes can test their knowledge at the stand by taking the World Anti-Doping Agency WADA’s quiz and win a golden drinking bottle. Spectators are welcome to visit and discuss fair play and clean sports. Material on clean sports will also be available from the stand.
For more information, please contact:
Heikki Romppanen
International Junior Shotgun Cup – Competition manager
tel. 0400 886 065
Susanna Sokka
FINCIS Information Manager
tel. +358 40 740 7477