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Finnish star shocked after gold medal stolen during celebrations
🇸🇮 Slovenia /Culture & Society

Finnish star shocked after gold medal stolen during celebrations

From Delo · () Slovenian

Translated from Slovenian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Finnish ice hockey star Jesse Puljujärvi had his gold medal stolen after celebrating a World Championship win.
  • The medal disappeared from a karaoke bar in Helsinki where he had placed it on a chair.
  • Puljujärvi hopes to recover the original medal, which holds significant personal value.

Finnish ice hockey star Jesse Puljujärvi is in shock after his gold medal, won at the World Championships in Switzerland, was stolen during celebrations in Helsinki. The valuable memento vanished after Puljujärvi placed it on a chair at a karaoke bar.

We were at a karaoke bar with the team. I put the medal on a chair, and then it disappeared.

— Jesse PuljujärviPuljujärvi described the moment his gold medal went missing.

"We were at a karaoke bar with the team. I put the medal on a chair, and then it disappeared," Puljujärvi explained. He and his teammates immediately began searching for it but to no avail. "We searched everywhere, but we didn't find it. Someone stole it. There's no other explanation," the 28-year-old Finn told the newspaper Ilta-Sanomat, expressing bewilderment as to why someone would steal such a trophy.

We searched everywhere, but we didn't find it. Someone stole it. There's no other explanation.

— Jesse PuljujärviThe Finnish player expressed his belief that the medal was stolen.

Upon realizing the medal was missing, Puljujärvi also alerted the bar's management. "The employees thoroughly checked the premises, but they didn't find the medal. It wasn't anywhere. So, I conclude that someone took it," he reflected. While it's possible he could receive a replacement medal from the hockey federation, Puljujärvi primarily wishes to have the original back.

The employees thoroughly checked the premises, but they didn't find the medal. It wasn't anywhere. So, I conclude that someone took it.

— Jesse PuljujärviPuljujärvi recounted his interaction with the bar management after the medal went missing.

"I can get a new one, but I hope the original will be found, as it has special value for me," emphasized the star player for Geneve-Servette. Despite the unpleasant incident, Puljujärvi, who was the second-highest scorer for the Finnish national team at the World Championship with nine points (4 goals + 5 assists), will cherish the past days. Memorable moments included his return home escorted by military fighter jets and the celebration in front of the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, where approximately 80,000 fans greeted the Finnish heroes.

I can get a new one, but I hope the original will be found, as it has special value for me.

— Jesse PuljujärviPuljujärvi stated his preference for recovering the original medal over a replacement.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delo in Slovenian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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