KuPS to announce coaching contracts amid controversy over potential new head coach Jarkko Wiss

Kuopio Palloseura (KuPS) will announce two coaching contracts for the upcoming season today, Thursday. One of the contracts is for the head coach of the men’s team, which competes in the Veikkausliiga, and the other is a sports director-coach agreement. The current head coach, Jani Honkavaara, is set to join the Finnish national team as an assistant coach.

Late on Wednesday evening, KuPS announced that a press conference regarding the coaching agreements would take place in the morning. The club stated it has begun preparations for the next season, despite the ongoing Veikkausliiga 2024.

These appointments will allow KuPS to start building its team for the upcoming season. The prospective new head coach of KuPS has sparked discussions, as reports suggest that Jarkko Wiss is being considered for the position. Wiss was dismissed from his role at FC Inter at the end of the last season due to allegations of harassment involving a female employee at the club.

Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas, a significant sponsor of KuPS, has expressed concern over the situation connected to the potential new head coach. CEO Olli Heikkilä is demanding an investigation into the matter if Wiss is appointed as head coach. “This [harassment] is a serious and regrettable issue. If the appointment proceeds, it is essential to clarify what the situation has been and how it has been addressed. Currently, there is no information other than what is available on MTV’s pages,” Heikkilä stated to Yle.