Finland's performance at the Milan-Cortina Olympics saw its team securing six medals, including five bronzes and one silver, which met the target set by the Olympic Committee. Janne Hänninen, the head of high-performance sports, acknowledged that while the results were satisfactory, they fell short of expectations, emphasizing the need for a stronger pipeline of medal-contending athletes. He revealed that only 40% of the athletes exceeded their personal performance levels during the games, with a significant portion either meeting or underperforming relative to expectations.

Hänninen outlined the ongoing changes in Finland's sports structure aimed at enhancing medal potential. A major aspect of this change involves the reallocation of funds to ensure that financial support is directed more effectively towards athletes who have demonstrated a potential for success. This shift in funding strategy is already evident in the support decisions for summer sports and will soon extend to winter sports as well. Hänninen's candid remarks indicate a proactive approach to addressing the current challenges in Finnish sports by focusing on strategic financial investments.

The call for improvement in athlete performance and funding reform highlights Finland's commitment to securing a more competitive position in future international sporting events. As the sports authorities aim to cultivate and nurture talent, this initiative could lead to increased success and a more robust framework for developing athletes who can achieve podium finishes in upcoming competitions.