The video of Rasmus Ahlholm attacking teammate Jacob Lundell Noer on the ice shook the Norwegian hockey community earlier this week.
On Friday afternoon, the chairman of the board in Storhamar, Stein Onsrud, confirms that Ahlholm has finished at the club.
– We have chosen to terminate the contract with Rasmus with immediate effect. The reason for this is the much talked about incident at training this week. Such an action that took place there is completely unacceptable and very serious. We do not see any mitigating circumstances around what happened, says Onsrud.
TV 2 has not succeeded in getting a comment from Ahlholm. The 31-year-old sent out a statement on Friday.
– First of all, I want to apologize to Jacob Noer, the other teammates and everyone else affected by the incident that took place at training on Monday morning. No matter how much I want the incident undone, it is not possible, writes Ahlholm, according to NRK.
– I think it is incredibly sad that my relationship with SIL ends in this way. I had hoped to continue playing for SIL also in the future, and that the case could be resolved internally, so that I had in that way had the chance to rectify what has unfortunately happened, he continues, who now hopes that he and the family can have peace.
– STORHAMAR MANAGER: Stein Onsrud informed about the Ahlholm firing during a press conference on Friday afternoon. Photo: TV 2.
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In the last few days, a process has been underway to do this in the right way. The club had made its decision on Wednesday, but for the sake of the case, this has not been announced until Friday.
– We have also been in dialogue with Rasmus to see if we could come to an amicable settlement with Rasmus, before we now chose to take the step of terminating the contract with immediate effect, Onsrud claims.
In front of TV 2, he elaborates:
– It was a completely moderate and fair offer, as one would normally see in a normal dismissal case.
– Why did you choose to make that offer?
– Because we wanted to end the case amicably, and that we could put this behind us as soon as possible.
In the wake of the case, it has emerged that Ahlholm has previously tackled another teammate, Markus Aas-Eng Mikkelsen. According to the Storhamar boss, the outcome would have been the same, even without that incident in the assessment.
– What happened on Monday would have had the same outcome regardless of the Mikkelsen case. But it is clear that it adds even more to the assessment we have made.
Watch a video of the tackle on Mikkelsen here:
He says that the club strongly dissociates itself from the action, and that unity and good values are central to the club and the hockey community in Hamar.
– We hope that we never see anything like that on the ice again, it sounds from the Storhamar boss.
Ahlholm joined the club from Vålerenga in 2019.
Earlier this week, he explained himself to Swedish Aftonbladet:
– We had been on each other, back and forth, something that had built up during the entire training. Since then I misinterpreted the situation completely and everything had a very unfortunate outcome where I went after him and he after the puck.
Lundell Noer was back on the ice on Wednesday when Storhamar trained. Sports manager Mads Hansen has assured that the 23-year-old is doing well.
When TV 2 was in place for Friday’s training, Lundell Noer was back on the ice. He did not want to comment on the case.
Captain Patrick Thoresen did not want to comment either.
The police opened a case
On Thursday, it became known that the police have opened a case. On Friday morning, police assistant Hildegunn Tronsli in the Innlandet police district revealed to TV 2 that it was the police themselves who opened the case.
– The police started an investigation on their own initiative on Thursday 16.12.2021, after obtaining some information in the case, she writes in an e-mail to TV 2.
The chairman of the board in Storhamar, Stein Onsrud, was clear that they would assist the police with what they needed from their side.
Had warning
On Wednesday, Onsrud confirmed to TV 2 that the Swede already had a warning from the club after another horror tackle, which took place during training on 23 October.
There you can see 21-year-old Markus Aas-Eng Mikkelsen standing completely calm by the mitten until Ahlholm comes whizzing by and he mows down. Mikkelsen was then on his way back from a two-year injury nightmare, and played with a green jersey to show that he was not going into duels.
A video of the incident has also been released there, and it is now circulating on social media.
On Wednesday, the chairman of the board would not give TV 2 an answer as to whether it was possible to let Ahlholm continue in the club after the two scare attacks.
Onsrud was, however, aware that already after the situation on 23 October, Ahlholm was summoned to a meeting.
– The episode was handled through a call being called for a conversation. A warning was given to Ahlholm. We have taken it seriously, he said.
– SPECIAL DAYS: Storhamar coach Anders Gjøse is open about the fact that the last few days have been special. Photo: Carina Johansen
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Did not talk to each other
Storhamar coach Anders Gjøse led the team to a morning session in CC Amfi on Friday. He is open about the fact that there have been special days.
– The situation that has been is boring for all parties. It is a situation we of course did not want to be in, says Gjøse.
– How have the last few days been for you?
– It is clear that there will be some extra thoughts, first and foremost about the parties involved. Then there has been a lot of extra communication with other members of the club, but at the same time it has been good to be with the group. We have had good training all week. It helps to focus on what we can do something about, he answers.
– Have you talked to Ahlholm in the last few days?
– No, because we have distributed tasks for who does what in this case. We have agreed that I will take what is inside these doors, the coach answers and points to the locker room.
The Stavanger man thinks the players have been extra sharpened in training this week.
– There are a lot of emotions. I have the impression that the players also think it’s good to be here on the ice. We know that there will be fights in the not too distant future. Basically, we are really looking forward to it. It has seemed a little aggravating. The players have been focused on training. It has been a good move, he says.
The case is being updated.
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