Janne Puhakka, Finland’s first openly gay ice hockey player, is dead after a suspected murder. He was 29.
Puhakka, who played for Espoo Blues and Espoo United before ending his career at the end of the 2017–2018 season, died in the home he shared with his Norwegian veterinarian partner, Rolf Nordmo, Finland newspaper Ilta-Sanomat reported on Sunday, October 13.
According to Finland media, Puhakka’s case is being treated as a murder with a 65-year-old suspect detained on the scene on suspicion of shooting the athlete to death. Ilta-Sanomat reported that Nordmo, 65, is the suspect, but police have not confirmed the suspect’s identity.
Detective Inspector Matti Högman told news agency STT there was “reason to believe the suspect’s actions were deliberate and cruel” and the “suspect and victim knew each other.”
Soon after Puhakka’s death was confirmed, Finland’s former Prime Minister Sanna Marin took to Instagram to share an image of the former ice hockey player with a broken love heart emoji.
“We send our sincere condolences to his family, his relatives and all his former teaMMAtes,” the Rapaces de Gap hockey team said in a statement via Instagram on Monday, October 14. “Presenting in the team during the 2017/2018 season, Janne marked the staff and his teaMMAtes with his kindness and team spirit.”
In addition to writing a memoir about his life, Pahakka opened up about his relationship with Nordmo during a recent candid interview.
According to the athlete, he initially chose not to disclose his sexual identity and relationship to his family, friends or teaMMAtes.
“I was frightened, and I didn’t want people to know about my sexuality,” Puhakka told South West News Service in 2022. “I was scared of the way I would be perceived in the ultra-masculine sporting world.”
Puhakka later came out to his family and shared that his boyfriend was 37 years older. He confirmed his relatives took the news well.
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“We find all the comments quite funny, and once people start talking and get to know us they are generally so warm and accepting,” Nordmo previously shared about people’s first reactions to their romance. “I often say Janne is an old soul in a young body and I’m a young soul in an old body.”
When asked if they plan on having children, Nordmo said they were focused on enjoying the present.
“It’s important to be happy now, and I don’t see the point in dwelling on the future,” he said. “Who knows what’s around the corner?”
