Olihan se Turun Setan Mikkosen kommentti juridisesti epätosi ja muutenkin vähän semmoinen ja tämmöinen, mutta...
Aina välillä toki toivoisi, että löytyisi myös edes yksi sellainenkin jääkiekkoilija, joka olisi sillä tavalla oma itsensä, että käyttäisi asemaansa puolustaakseen heikompiaan eikä ainoa jääkiekon ulkopuolinen kommentointi liittyisi johonkin sijoittamiseen tai kokoomuksen lobbaamiseen tms.
millä sitten saa "fiksun" maineen samaan aikaan, kun kuitenkin elää tässäkin maassa melko etuoikeutettua elämää palkalla, jollaisesta keskiverto duunari vain haaveilee.
Puhuitko juuri alfojen alfasta, Mantas Armaliksesta.
"He was born in Lithuania, grew up south of Stockholm, a model, hockey player and an ambassador for SHL Pride Week. In this week's Meet the Man, we meet Skellefteå's goalkeeper Mantas Armalis, who talks about the choices in life and career."
"It may sound cliché, but it's about breaking barriers
," says Mantas. I hope that soon, preferably yesterday, someone dares to take the step and come out.
It is with pathos that Mantas talks about LGBTQ issues. He is one of SHL's ambassadors for SHL Pride Week, and participated last week at the QX gala as an award winner.
"It was a great honour for me, and that I, together with Christopher Mastomäki and Johan Alcén, was able to present an award at the QX Gala, I think was an important symbolic act. Hockey may have been a little behind when it comes to LGBTQ issues, but now there is a strong will from the league and the federation to do something about it, and it was noticeable that the gay community appreciated that we were there.
"The way the climate is today, I don't think there would be any problem whatsoever for an SHL player to come out as gay. I've talked to a lot of people, both players and people around the teams I've played in, and everyone testifies that it's a huge difference now compared to ten years ago.
"I think the problem is rather in younger ages," Mantas speculates. I know myself that I said things on the ice hockey rink that I regretted afterwards, and you don't have the same filter at the age of 15 as when you are an adult. SHL's investment in Pride Week gives us the chance to create a discussion and perhaps also influence the climate in hockey in general.
We are in the middle of the premiere of SHL Pride Week, which culminates in a Pride round on Saturday where Mantas and his Skellefteå meet Örebro. In other words, it will be a match in the match between Mantas and his award-winning colleague Christopher Mastomäki. Who wins the game may be important in the short term, but even more important is that hockey wins the game against intolerance in the long run. If you can play, you can play."
