Chairman of Swedish hockey club Asplöven (from Haaparanta) has had to resign after sending a photo of old Finnish air force plane containing blue swastika.
Asplövens coach Lars Janzon published an image that can be interpreted as a Nazi symbol.
Now acting club and announces that the Chairman may leave with immediate effect.
– I regret that the image associated with Nazism, says Lars Janzon to the club’s website.
Combat aircraft with a Finnish swastika.
Allsvenskan Asplöven and Chairman Lars Janzon go their separate ways.
The reason is an image Janzon posted on his private Facebook recently. The image was of a plane that carried the Finnish swastika (Finnish Air Force historical symbol) and has been interpreted as a Nazi symbol.
– We as a club Utterly condemns any racist or Nazi expression and we will take a strong position against all racist and Nazi views, says Asplövens coach and sporting director Per Kenttä to the club’s website.
Leaving directly
Asplöven has actively worked for diversity in Haparanda and Janzon image does not match with the club’s values.
– We value diversity and has offered free tickets to the welcome packs planned for newcomers in Haparanda to the faster integrating into society, says Kenttä.
Janzon leaving his post with immediate effect and has Asplövens website apologized for the picture.
– I regret that the image associated with Nazism, it was an image from an air show where they had restored the plane and made its first official flight in 70 years, says Lars Janzon.
Finnish Air Force used the symbol of 1918 and in 1945.
NOTE: Former Finnish president Tarja Halonen (SDP):
Funny that Swedes of all people would complain about that specific form of swastika (blue on a white background on an airplane). After all, that was Eric von Rosen’s personal good-luck charm, painted on the airplane he donated to the newly independent Finland in 1918. So it’s a Swedish swastika, not a Nazi one…
BTW, if they are specifically concerned about offending asylum seekers then shouldn’t they check to see how popular the swastika is among them?
Excellent point! German fascism is pretty much the norm in that part of the world, lots of mein kampfs sold there.
Most Swedes will agree that the only sensible solution for Sweden to this ban on the emblems of other sovereign countries will be to elect muslim politicians – who will happily agree the use of the Wehrmaacht swastika is quite OK.
Well. And just because folks nowadays have poorly studied the history of swastika as ancient European symbol. I have seen even Canadian 1920’s ice hockey team having jersey with swastika. You could find similar examples hundreds and hundreds all over the Europe. Sweden – let’s have some study of history of European symbols. OK?