The Traitors Finland postpones final broadcast after participant – who was the country’s first openly gay hockey player – was murdered

The Traitors Finland has postponed the broadcast of the final episode of the second series following the murder of a participant, Finland’s first openly gay ice hockey player.

The boyfriend of finalist Janne Puhakka, 29, confessed to killing him at the house they shared in Hentta, Espoo, according to local media.

Norwegian veterinarian Rolf Nordmo, 66, allegedly told police that he killed his lover – who was 37 years his junior – with a hunting rifle on the evening of October 13, according to Finnish newspaper YLE.

Janne was a participant in the pre-recorded second series of Finland’s The Traitors and had reached the final together with Green MP Fatim Diarra, YLE explains.

“We have come to the conclusion that this is not the right time to show the episode. We will return to the issue of the possible presentation of the episode later,” a spokesperson for The Traitors said, according to the Finnish publication.

The Traitors Finland has postponed the broadcast of the final episode of the second series after finalist Janne Puhakka (pictured left with his former partner Rolf Normado), Finland’s first openly gay ice hockey player, was murdered.

The 29-year-old acted as a traitor in the latest episode and tried to trick the other players into winning the pot of money.

Matti Högman, who is leading the police investigation, told the newspaper that Puhakka had moved out of their home after the relationship ended “several weeks ago.”

When the hockey player returned to the building for ‘practical matters’, Nordmo allegedly took the weapon.

Högman added that “more than necessary” force was used in the death. Nordmo, who was licensed to own a firearm in Norway, is still in police custody, it is reported.

Puhakka, who played for Espoo Blues and Espoo United before ending his career at the end of the 2017-18 season, met Rolf in 2014 and quickly fell in love after a week of chatting online.

The Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat previously reported that Puhakka’s case is being treated as murder.

Sanna Marin, the former Finnish Prime Minister, is among those who paid tribute to Puhakka. She took to Instagram to share a photo of the former ice hockey player with a broken love heart emoji.

Detective Matti Högman told the STT news agency that there was “reason to believe that the suspect’s actions were deliberate and cruel” and that “the suspect and victim knew each other.”

The 29-year-old had reached the final of the second series of The Traitors alongside MP Fatima Diarra

Rolf Nordmo, 66, has confessed to the murder of his former partner, Janne Puhakka, according to reports in Finland

Pictured: Candles lit for Janne Puhakka in Espoo, Finland

Finland’s first openly gay ice hockey player, Janne Puhakka (pictured left), was found dead in his home. Janne is pictured with his partner Rolf Nordmo (photo right)

On the evening Janne died, a bystander called the police to the couple’s apartment after suspecting a violent crime.

The 29-year-old was the first Finnish ice hockey player to openly talk about his homosexuality.

Early in his career, he hid his sexual identity from friends for fear of being stigmatized.

Janne and Rolf discussed their relationship in the Mirror in 2022, with the sports professional saying he kept his relationship private because he was ‘afraid of the way I would be perceived in the ultra-masculine sporting world’.

After chatting online in June 2014, Rolf flew from his home in Oslo to Helsinki, Finland, three times to see Janne.

Rolf told himself at the time that the relationship wouldn’t work because of their age difference, telling himself it was “just a summer vacation.”

But the couple grew closer and Rolf started visiting Janne while he worked in Canada.

Janne initially kept his sexual orientation private because he was afraid of what his teammates would think

Former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin is among those paying tribute to Janne online (photo)

Despite falling for Rolf, Janne was still ‘in the closet’ because he was ‘afraid of the way I would be perceived in the ultra-masculine sports world’

Janne was staying with a host family and told them that Rolf was his uncle so he could visit him at his hotel.

“It felt so weird to hide our relationship; I just wanted to say he was my boyfriend,” Rolf said.

At a public meeting, the couple pretended they were just friends or that Rolf was Janne’s uncle.

Rolf said onlookers often thought they were a “sugar daddy and baby or father and son.”

Janne previously said: ‘We both had to battle with ourselves to get to the point where we are now. We love each other and that’s all that matters.’

After his ice hockey period, Janne went to study international business administration in Haaga-Helia

He added that friends and family learned to understand that their relationship was “not strange” and that they “complement each other.”

Rolf, who came out as gay at the age of 40, was previously married for 17 years to a woman, with whom he has three children.

He told them about his relationship with Janne in February 2015, which initially received mixed reactions.

Janne started playing hockey at the age of six before claiming a place on the Finnish national youth team at 16, according to OutSports.

He hoped that by publicly talking about his sexual orientation, he would help other players in the future.

After his time as an ice hockey player, Janne studied international business administration in Haaga-Helia and worked in the sales of sportswear in an Amer Sport store.

He told Frenn: ‘When my sporting career came to an end, I had to think about what I would like to do next. Besides sports, fashion and clothing have always interested me.

‘So it was very natural to combine these two elements. The sportswear store is the perfect place for me to use my past experiences and develop my future career goals.”

He added: “The physical and mental well-being of my family is the cornerstone of my life. I have always valued a healthy lifestyle and that is what I continue to work for today.’