Finland's former Olympic ski jumping champion Matti Nykanen (L) walks out with his friend Mervi Tapola after being released from Kylmakoski prison in Finland in this September 21, 2005 file photo.
HELSINKI, Aug. 24 -- Finland's four-time Olympic ski jump champion Matti Nykanen has been sentenced to a year and four months in prison on Tuesday for the aggravated assault on his wife.
The incident took place at their home in Ylojarvi in southern Finland on Christmas Day last year, when Nykanen was alleged to have left his wife with wounds to her hands and forehead in a knife attack, strangle her with a bathrobe belt, causing her to flee to a neighbor's house where she called the police.
The Tempere District Court sees Nykanen's behavior as aggravated assault as Tapola was found with several injuries with a deep incised wound near her eyes. Therefore, the district decided to sentence Nykanen to a year and four months in prison. He was also ordered to pay his wife 10,295 euros for her pain and suffering, as well as mental anguish. In addition, Nykanen was ordered to pay 3,000 euros in court costs.
His wife Tapola has finally filed for divorce after the incident. Nykanen had been sentenced four month' s conditional imprisonment in 2004 for assaulting his wife before this time.
Nykanen is known in Finland as Flying Finn for his ski jump achievements included winning gold and silver medals at the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics and three more gold medals at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.
(Xinhua)
