Finnish Government Grants €10 Million to Athletics Federation for 2030 European Championships Amid Transparency Dispute and Funding Model Confusion

The Finnish government, led by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, granted €10 million in April to the Finnish Athletics Federation to support its bid to host the 2030 European Athletics Championships in Helsinki. The funding was allocated without the usual official preparation process, as Helsingin Sanomat (HS) first reported. The decision has sparked criticism over transparency and fairness in sports funding, with conflicting accounts emerging about the procedural basis of the grant and the failure of a proposed funding model reform.