The Briefing
- Nissinen called Vantaa “Mogadishu” during a media interview.
- Finnish Ski Association condemned the remarks as inappropriate.
- Vantaa Mayor defends city’s diverse international population.
Finnish national team skier Vilma Nissinen has publicly apologized for comments made during the Tour de Ski in Italy, where she disparagingly compared the city of Vantaa to Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
The remarks, which touched on the demographics of the Helsinki metropolitan area, sparked immediate backlash from the Finnish Ski Association and city leaders.
The incident occurred on Thursday, following a race stage in Italy. When asked by reporters if she would prefer to be racing at the Scandinavian Cup in Vantaa this weekend, Nissinen, 28, responded with a sharp refusal.
“I would a hundred times rather ski here than in Finland’s Mogadishu,” Nissinen stated.
According to Iltalehti, she further elaborated that the Hakunila district of Vantaa “has been Mogadishu since the 90s” and suggested that the environment would be a “culture shock” for Norwegian skiers scheduled to compete there.
The comparison to Mogadishu is a racially charged trope in Finland, often used to disparage neighborhoods with high immigrant populations, specifically those with residents of Somali background. It implies that an area is dangerous or “un-Finnish.”
The Finnish Ski Association moved quickly to distance itself from the athlete’s statements.
In a press release issued shortly after the interview, the Association clarified that they do not tolerate racism in any form.
In the statement released by the Finnish Ski Association, Nissinen said her post-race remark was “inappropriate and improper” and that she sincerely apologises.
According to the statement, Nissinen and the Ski Association discussed the matter on Thursday.
Nissinen, who is currently fighting for a spot on the Finnish Olympic team, resides in Helsinki but is originally from Heinola and grew up in the Kainuu region.
Mayor Defends Multiculturalism
Pekka Timonen, the Mayor of Vantaa, expressed dismay at the skier’s worldview, reports Helsingin Sanomat. He emphasized that Vantaa is a modern, international city and that such diversity should be considered normal in 2026.
“In the year of our Lord 2026, it should no longer be a surprise to anyone that people from all over the world live in Finland and the capital region,” Timonen said. “Vantaa and Finland are home to many kinds of people.”
Timonen added that he expected a “world-traveling” athlete to have a broader perspective on European urban life and diversity.
Mogadishu is often associated internationally with long-running insecurity linked to Somalia’s armed conflict, including continued violence involving the militant group al-Shabaab, one reason the comparison was widely interpreted as inflammatory.
Multicultural Vantaa
Vantaa is the most multicultural city in Finland. As of recent statistics, more than 29% of Vantaa’s residents speak a first language other than Finnish or Swedish.
In specific districts like Hakunila, where the ski race is held, the percentage of residents with foreign backgrounds is significantly higher than the national average.
The growth of the international population in the capital region (Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa) is a well-established demographic trend driven by labor migration and urbanization.
City officials like Mayor Timonen actively frame this internationalism as an economic strength rather than a social problem.
