Ville Niinistö, a Member of the European Parliament and former chair of the Green League, has publicly condemned the U.S. men's hockey team's behavior after they won Olympic gold. He took to Facebook to express his discontent with what he described as 'smug arrogance' displayed by the team in their celebration alongside President Donald Trump. According to Niinistö, this behavior has exposed the conservative power dynamics within the sport of hockey and has negated the positive image that NHL stars had contributed to the game.

Niinistö further criticized the optics of the situation, questioning the appropriateness of the team laughing and celebrating with Trump, whom he refers to as a 'schoolyard bully.' He pointed out the irony of Trump, who seemed to imply that he might need to invite the women's Olympic gold medal-winning team to the White House alongside their male counterparts, which Niinistö finds profoundly disrespectful. The implication here is that the men's team treated a serious issue of gender equality in sports as a joke, thereby undermining the advancements made for women's recognition in hockey.

According to Niinistö, this incident is not just a reflection of the individual actions of the men's team but indicates a larger failure to represent and defend the principles of equality and respect that many fans of the sport hold dear. He believes that the U.S. national team has betrayed supporters who advocate for gender equality in sports, as well as members of the women's national team, by aligning themselves with Trump’s controversial image rather than standing up for the values of inclusion and fairness. This commentary by Niinistö has sparked a conversation about the need for accountability in sports, particularly regarding attitudes toward gender equality.