Former ski-jumping star Matti Nykänen facing charges of aggravated assault

Matti Nykänen

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Former Olympic ski-jumper Matti Nykänen, 46, was arrested over the Christmas holiday on suspicion of having attempted to stab his wife, 55-year-old Mervi Tapola-Nykänen.
      Apparently an argument between the couple turned violent on the evening of Christmas Day at their home in Ylöjärvi, near Tampere.
     
According to Tapola, her husband threatened to kill her. He had swung a knife in her direction and tried to strangle her with the belt from a bathrobe.
      Tapola received cuts to the forehead and hand from the knife, and was able to call police only an hour after the attempted stabbing. She was taken to the University Hospital in Tampere, and released after treatment.
     
Nykänen was taken into custody from the apartment at 18:30 on Christmas Day.
      He did not resist arrest. Both parties were drunk at the time of the incident.
      Police initially investigated the case as one of attempted manslaughter, but later the offence was described as aggravated assault and threat with a deadly weapon.
      Nykänen was released on bail and a restraining order has been put into effect.
     
The news of the incident attracted widespread attention abroad, not least because Nykänen is a four-time Olympic gold medallist, and also because his life since he left the sport has been somewhat chequered - the couple have seldom been out of the tabloid headlines for one reason or another.   


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Former ski jumper Matti Nykänen gets four-month sentence for beating wife (17.3.2006)
  Former Olympic icon receives two-year prison term for aggravated assault (28.10.2004)

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