KHL team Jokerit forfeits game after refusing to show up over human rights issues

KHL team Jokerit Helsinki has been handed a forfeit after refusing to travel to Minsk, Belarus for their scheduled game against HC Dinamo Minsk.

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For those unaware, Belarus and Minsk in particular, has become a hotbed of political protests this summer as the country's citizens have taken to the streets looking to oust authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Belarusian citizens accuse Lukashenko of rigging this summer's election in order to carry on his 26 year reign of power. As a result there's rioting in the streets and Jokerit saw an opportunity both guarantee their safety and make a political statement by refusing to play today's game.

“Obviously that’s what we wanted, and human rights are a way more important thing than hockey” says Roope Räty from the team's official fan group.

“We’re 100% behind the team with their decision like we have previously said. And we’re just relieved and happy that eventually they came up with the right decision at this moment” Raty told Finnish publication Now Finland. “I think there is no Jokerit fan who doesn’t condemn the actions of Russia and China," he continued. "We’re standing behind our team, we’re supporting our team and if the fans quit and give up on the team then we don’t have a voice. People don’t listen to us any more. When we support the team we have a chance to say what we think.”

“Jokerit’s Russian owners have strong ties to the Kremlin which for the KHL it’s really important that the game is played in Minsk. Especially now says Finnish sports reporter Filip Saxén.

“Jokerit is the only Western team, and KHL needs them to play because it sends a strong signal both from Russia and from Belarus that everything is under control. That’s what Russia and Belarus want the world to see […] going there, Jokerit is enabling them to show that. It makes it a really political statement to play there” Saxén adds.

It'll be interesting to see if other teams, specifically Russian based teams, make a similar decision to the one that Jokerit has made. If the forfeits begin to pile up, there's simply no way that the KHL can ignore it.