Mika Myllya Former World Cup Skier

The recent post about Alexi Prokurorov got me thinking about my
favorite nordic ski racer Mika Myllya. from Finland. I did a google
search and read he became an alcoholic, been arrested for drunk
driving, and been involved in alcohol induced street fights. Do some
of our Scandinavian skiers/readers at this site have any updates on
Mika. Hearing about these setbacks for him are just as disturbing as
the sad news about Alexi Prokurorov.

On Oct 13, 4:10*pm, ADK Skier wrote:
The recent post about Alexi Prokurorov got me thinking about my
favorite nordic ski racer Mika Myllya. from Finland. I did a google
search and read he became an alcoholic, been arrested for drunk
driving, and been involved in alcohol induced street fights. Do some
of our Scandinavian skiers/readers at this site have any updates on
Mika. Hearing about these setbacks for him are just as disturbing as
the sad news about Alexi Prokurorov.

Not good news about Myllyla or Prokurorov. All those Finns became
pariahs after their big doping scandal at the Worlds back in "01 or
'03 or something. They were supposed to win so many medals on their
home, Lahti, course. Unlike bike racing, skiing dopers are not invited
back into the fold as easily. Why, I don't know. I think most national
teams doped during the last twenty years or so. Some were better at
getting away with it... Those who didn't sucked. When they did well,
they probably doped...

Jay Tegeder

On Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:30:23 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

All those Finns became
pariahs after their big doping scandal at the Worlds back in "01 or
'03 or something.

Virpi Kuitenen was doing pretty well recently.

On Oct 14, 12:10*am, ADK Skier wrote:

The recent post about Alexi Prokurorov got me thinking about my
favorite nordic ski racer Mika Myllylä. from Finland. I did a google
search and read he became an alcoholic, been arrested for drunk
driving, and been involved in alcohol induced street fights. Do some
of our Scandinavian skiers/readers at this site have any updates on
Mika. Hearing about these setbacks for him are just as disturbing as
the sad news about Alexi Prokurorov.

It's true that Myllylä had (and quite possibly still has) a fairly
serious binge-type drinking problem which so far have cost him his
marriage and the loss of a rather nice job in PR and marketing. AFAIK
- I don't read the tabloids but one cannot miss the headlines - there
were a couple of domestic calls (due to drunken threats of violence
and/or suicide) and once a night in the slammer after a minor
altercation with a restaurant doorman.

It is very hard to tell how much of this is due to the "normal"
emptiness an elite athlete can feel he has fallen into once his career
is over, how much to Myllylä's character and personality traits and
how much to the particular circumstances in which his career ended,
but the three factors seem to have reinforced each other in his case.

FWIW the Lahti "six" can be pariahs of sort in some international
circles and far from every Finn loves or even forgives them, but the
other five seem to have had a softer landing after their fall from
grace.

There haven't been any headlines lately and when he last appeared in
the sports news it was about Vegard Ulvang who welcomed his old
competitor and friend back into the XC skiing world and suggested a
future career as a technical delegate or in some such position within
the FIS. Myllylä, who was/is employed by a sports store in his new
home town, expressed his interest.


Anders

On Oct 15, 7:19*am, Anders wrote:
On Oct 14, 12:10*am, ADK Skier wrote:

The recent post about Alexi Prokurorov got me thinking about my
favorite nordic ski racer Mika Myllylä. from Finland. I did a google
search and read he became an alcoholic, been arrested for drunk
driving, and been involved in alcohol induced street fights. Do some
of our Scandinavian skiers/readers at this site have any updates on
Mika. Hearing about these setbacks for him are just as disturbing as
the sad news about Alexi Prokurorov.

It's true that Myllylä had (and quite possibly still has) a fairly
serious binge-type drinking problem which so far have cost him his
marriage and the loss of a rather nice job in PR and marketing. AFAIK
- I don't read the tabloids but one cannot miss the headlines - there
were a couple of domestic calls (due to drunken threats of violence
and/or suicide) and once a night in the slammer after a minor
altercation with a restaurant doorman.

It is very hard to tell how much of this is due to the "normal"
emptiness an elite athlete can feel he has fallen into once his career
is over, how much to Myllylä's character and personality traits and
how much to the particular circumstances in which his career ended,
but the three factors seem to have reinforced each other in his case.

FWIW the Lahti "six" can be pariahs of sort in some international
circles and far from every Finn loves or even forgives them, but the
other five seem to have had a softer landing after their fall from
grace.

There haven't been any headlines lately and when he last appeared in
the sports news it was about Vegard Ulvang who welcomed his old
competitor and friend back into the XC skiing world and suggested a
future career as a technical delegate or in some such position within
the FIS. Myllylä, who was/is employed by a sports store in his new
home town, expressed his interest.

Anders

Anders,
Thanks so much for that. I would have never have found that
information through any internet searches. Hopefully his ties with
Vegard and other supporters can help him turn things around. Thanks
again.