Jouko Purontakanen, the long-time Secretary General of the Finnish Olympic Committee, has passed away. Purontakanen, who was one of the most prominent leaders in Finnish sports in recent decades, died on June 3, 2026, at the age of 78.

Purontakanen, who competed in track and field in Kuula, Raisio, took up his position as Executive Director of the SVUL Youth Association at the age of 23. From 1976 to 1985, he served as Executive Director of the Finnish Orienteering Federation, and for the following two years, he headed SVUL’s sports department. Purontakanen stepped into the spotlight of the sports world from 1987 to 1992 as CEO and Secretary General of the Finnish Sports Federation. His work continued naturally as Secretary General of the 1994 European Athletics Championships, held in Finland, and subsequently as Secretary General of the 1997 World Ice Hockey Championships, also held in Finland.     

These two successful major competitions served as impressive proof of his abilities when the Finnish Olympic Committee was looking for a new secretary general in 1996. Jouko Purontakanen held this demanding position for 16 years. During his tenure from 1996 to 2012, four Summer and four Winter Olympic Games were held, during which Finnish athletes won a total of nine gold medals and 46 medals overall.

Jouko Purontakanen was given the honorary title of Sports Counsellor in 2011. In January 2026, he was awarded a lifetime achievement award at the Sports Gala.