Head coach Antti Parviainen Best result 1. (2004) | Appearances 36 (first in 1957) | |
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Association Finland's Bandy Association | ||
The Finnish national bandy team (Finnish: Suomen jääpallomaajoukkue, Swedish: Finlands herrlandslag i bandy) has taken part in all the Bandy World Championships for men since the competition was launched for the first time in 1957. Finland won the championship title in 2004. They have always finished in the top four, and have won 28 medals in 36 championships.
Contents
The team is controlled by Finland's Bandy Association.
History
Finland was represented by the club Polyteknikkojen Urheiluseura (PUS) in the winter games in Helsinki in 1907, but the team was beaten by a team from Sweden.
When Finland had become independent, Finland's first international was against Sweden in Helsinki on February 23, 1919, and Finland won 4-1 in front of 6000 spectators. One of the spectators was Gustaf Mannerheim, regent of Finland.
Finland, Norway and Sweden played bandy at the Winter Olympics in Oslo in 1952. After having seen them there, the Soviet Union invited these three countries to a four nation bandy tournament in 1954. This was the first time a Soviet national bandy team met other national bandy teams. The four countries used somewhat different rules prior to this tournament, but the rules were adjusted to be the same for the future.
The first ever World Championships of bandy were organised in 1957 in association with the 50th anniversary of the Ball Association of Finland, which at the time was the governing body of bandy in Finland. It was played at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. Finland's Bandy Association was founded in 1972.
Current squad
Finnish squad at the 2014 World Championship in Irkutsk, Russia, January 26 – February 2, 2014.