Finnish goaltender says he's stuck in Russia; 'can't leave through mediation'
Frans Tuohimaa, a Finnish goaltender who recently won gold with his home country at the Olympics, says he's stuck in Russia and indicates he can't get out of his KHL contract. Tuohimaa told Ilta-Sanomat.fi he feels "pretty shitty" and has no idea how to get back home. He is currently a member of Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, which is taking part in the KHL playoffs.
"It's hard to structure my own thoughts at the moment. Playing is not the first thing on my mind. Yes, the Gagarin Cup chase has started here, but the problem is that Russia won't admit there's a war. The ignorant attitude is of course due to the information that the people here are getting."
"It is easy to talk about the problems that have also been in the media, namely the payment of players' wages and so on, but these are secondary issues at the moment. Every team in the KHL works a little bit differently, so I don't know how the protocols work in different teams, but I can tell you that there is no way out of here amicably. You can't leave through mediation."
"It is easy to talk about the problems that have also been in the media, namely the payment of players' wages and so on, but these are secondary issues at the moment. Every team in the KHL works a little bit differently, so I don't know how the protocols work in different teams, but I can tell you that there is no way out of here amicably. You can't leave through mediation."
Tuohimaa said there are 17 Finns in total taking part in the KHL playoffs and they are in daily contact with each other.
"I am the only Finn on the team. We have two Czechs and one Yankee. I have noticed that there are differences between the countries. The Czechs are under more pressure, and they are in a shittier situation. They've been getting threats, which is next level stuff.
Tuohimaa is hoping someone will step in, but he's not sure who that should be.
I wish there was a way to get out. The KHL teams are all in different situations. Some will be out of the season in a week, but some teams will play for a couple of months. Now we should find a way to solve this situation and make a collective decision."
"We are so bogged down with our own thoughts, and it is no use getting angry at anyone now."
"We are so bogged down with our own thoughts, and it is no use getting angry at anyone now."
Tuohimaa insists just up and leaving isn't a possibility.
"The problem is how to get out of here. Money is secondary at the moment. There are a lot of risks and problems here, because we are on Russian soil. With these connections you are not on the Finnish side in no time. The whole departure process takes a few days. It's not just a quick flight to Finland. You can't just sneak out of here."
Tuohimaa played 26 games in the regular season with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. He also played three with Finland at the Olympics.
Source: Ilta-Sanomat.fi
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APRIL 28, 2026
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