Finnish Elite Athletes Union SHU
The Finnish Elite Athletes Union SHU represents football and ice hockey players.
Members
SHU-affiliated associations:
- Football Players Union
- Finnish Ice Hockey Players’ Association
Joining the union
The SHU-affiliated associations represent football and ice hockey players.
The membership subscription fees for the players’ associations depend on the member’s income from sports.
Topi Valtonen (27)
Football is a passion, but it’s no goldmine. Topi Valtonen has two jobs, living his dream and providing a good role model for youngsters.
- Topi is a goalkeeper at Järvenpää Football Club JäPS.
- He is a member of the Finnish Elite Athletes Union SHU through the Football Players’ Association of Finland.
“As a board member of the Football Players’ Association, I recognise that sport is still largely unregulated. I try to combine my law studies and experience of loopholes in sports legislation, and to give something back to the community. Issues of social welfare, pensions and insurance coverage remain problematic for athletes. For example, it is a serious anomaly that strain injuries are not classified as an occupational disease in the same way as in other fields. We also have no collective agreement for football.”
The wages of football players vary greatly by league tier, playing position and club. Semi-professionals in the second tier of the Finnish football league earn between a few hundred and a couple of thousand euros per month.