Perhaps even those who do not follow sports have heard the name Janne Ahonen. The Finnish athlete is undoubtedly a true legend of ski jumping. He competed successfully for many years, and it seemed that with such a track record, Janne would be fine after retiring. However, it turned out that the Finn had serious alcohol problems and now works at a factory. Ahonen competed in seven consecutive Olympic Games, a feat close to unique, especially in a high-risk sport like ski jumping. It is enough to watch World Cup competitions for 10 minutes to understand all the risks involved. Janne managed to stay in this discipline for two decades, becoming a two-time Olympic medalist, five-time world champion, two-time World Cup winner, and five-time winner of the ‘Four Hills Tournament,’ a competition comparable in status to the Olympics. So, his status as a legend and superstar was more than justified. Janne struggled to say goodbye to professional sports for a long time, retiring multiple times and then coming back, including before the Sochi Games, where he performed poorly and was far from medal contention. In the 2010s, his career was in a downward spiral, with little left of his former glory.
Surprisingly, in 2022, on the TV channel Yle’s program ‘Sports Studio,’ Ahonen admitted that he had strong alcohol problems that had been going on for a long time. In 2013, he completely ‘bottled up’ for eight years. What is astonishing is that during those sober years, he had little success in his career. It seems that Ahonen could achieve great results during his drinking seasons. It sounds eerie, considering the specifics of ski jumping. Nevertheless, some time after retiring, the 48-year-old Finn started working at a factory producing chargers for electric cars in Finland. Even though he has been working there for three years, Finnish media only recently learned about it. A person of such caliber simply disappeared from the radar. However, Ahonen assures that he is doing well in his current job, enjoying a good team, a pleasant schedule, and the tasks at hand.
‘It’s different from what it was like during my professional sports career. In some ways, it’s even simpler when you have a clear work schedule and can make plans. It’s a completely different job, but the same general principles apply,’ Ahonen said. However, his drinking problems seem to persist. According to Finnish media, Janne caused a scene at a Timo Kotipelto concert in Ruka less than two weeks ago. Video footage showed him climbing onto the stage, singing, and staggering while the security had to remove him. Spectators reported that Ahonen’s behavior ruined the concert, saying he appeared clearly drunk. The musicians later stated that it was unacceptable to come on stage during a performance. Janne eventually apologized for his behavior, admitting that he had simply drunk too much.
The former sports star is now facing alcoholism and other life difficulties. However, after these scandals, Janne resurfaced in the public eye and recently even supported extending sanctions against Russia in international sports. He probably uncorked that ‘bottle’ once again.
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