Swedish hockey fans delay match with dildo downpour

Published: 22 Oct 08 12:05 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/15138/20081022/

Supporters of the Stockholm-based AIK ice hockey team scored an unusual hat trick of heckling on Tuesday night featuring dildos, profane banners, and a giant inflatable penis.

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The taunts were directed at Jan Huokko, a stocky defenceman with the Leksand hockey club in Swedens second-tier professional hockey league, and a former player with AIK.

Ahead of Tuesdays match against Leksand, the website for AIKs unofficial supporter group had instructed fans to bring dildos to the match to remind Huokko of the sex scandal which plagued him earlier in the year, according to the Expressen newspaper.

As one of Leksands top-scoring defencemen and a former member of Sweden's national team, Huokko is known for putting the biscuit in the basket.

But back in June, Huokkos reputation for scoring took on a different twist when a sexually-charged video clip featuring the 34-year-old blueliner and his girlfriend ended up on the internet.

Huokko had recorded the clip on his mobile phone, and wasnt surprised to find it spreading like wildfire on the internet after the phone was stolen.

It was a private thing between me and my girl, he said at the time.

Thats what people do when it comes to sex.

Before Tuesdays match even started, AIK fans had already littered the ice with dozens of dildos, causing a slight delay as crews worked to clear the sex toys from the playing surface.

AIK fans also unfurled a banner reading Bend over bitch!, which was accompanied by a giant inflatable penis.

Vulgar chants directed at Huokko continued throughout the match, which Leksand ended up losing 3-2.

AIK club management was aware of their fans plans for knocking Huokko off his game, but elected not to intervene.

Wed also heard mention of it, but we decided that it would only be worse if we went out and told the fans they were absolutely not allowed to throw dildos on the ice, said AIK club head Mats Hedenström to the newspaper.

Lars G. Karlsson, an official from Swedens ice hockey association, called the sex-toy storm a non-issue.

It didnt affect play at all. People barely noticed it, he said.

And despite the AIK supporters best efforts, Huokko took the mocking in stride.

For me it was just a regular hockey game. It was no problem, he said following the match.

Ive got nothing to be ashamed of.

David Landes (david.landes@thelocal.se/+46 8 656 6518)