Story Summary
TPS forward Lukas Wernblom has denied intentionally biting Lukko defenceman Peetro Seppälä during a confrontation that resulted in a six-game Liiga suspension. The 26-year-old Swedish forward accepts that contact occurred in a physical struggle but says he was trying to pull his head free after Seppälä’s hand came into contact with his face and mouth.
Liiga’s disciplinary delegation found that Wernblom bit Seppälä’s finger, causing a bleeding wound near the nail. Its ruling said Wernblom had first held Seppälä’s head in a headlock, before Seppälä attempted to break free by pushing Wernblom’s head with his gloved hand. Wernblom’s version differs sharply: he says a finger pressed against his eye before Seppälä’s fingers entered his mouth and pulled at his cheek and lip.
The disciplinary decision acknowledged that the bite was not visible on match video. A linesman reported seeing it, however, and the delegation judged the evidence sufficient to impose the six-game ban. Wernblom says he later spoke with Seppälä and that no dispute remains between the two players.
Key Facts
- TPS forward Lukas Wernblom received a six-game Liiga suspension after the disciplinary delegation found that he bit Lukko defenceman Peetro Seppälä’s finger.
- Liiga’s disciplinary ruling said Seppälä suffered a bleeding wound near his nail in the incident.
- The ruling stated that Wernblom first held Seppälä’s head in a headlock before Seppälä tried to free himself by pushing Wernblom’s head with his gloved hand.
- Wernblom denies intending to harm Seppälä and says he was attempting to remove his head from a painful hold.
- The Liiga disciplinary delegation said the alleged bite was not visible on video but accepted a linesman’s observation as sufficient evidence.
- Wernblom has recorded seven goals and 10 assists in 17 Liiga games this season.],
IHM Discussion
This is a confirmed disciplinary sanction accompanied by a direct challenge from the player at its centre. Wernblom does not dispute that there was a forceful confrontation, but he rejects the conclusion that he deliberately bit Seppälä. His account frames the contact as part of an attempt to escape pressure around his eye, mouth and face.
Liiga’s decision rests on more than video evidence. Although the footage did not show the bite, the delegation relied on the linesman’s reported observation and on its reading of the sequence between the players. That leaves two clearly stated accounts in public: the league’s disciplinary finding and Wernblom’s denial of intent.
Wernblom also expressed regret if Seppälä was hurt, while maintaining that injury was not his purpose. His reported conversation with Seppälä suggests the matter has not developed into an ongoing personal dispute between the players.
Why It Matters
The suspension removes one of TPS’s most productive forwards for six games at a time when Wernblom has been among Liiga’s leading performers. His 17 points in 17 games underline the scale of the missing offence, but the immediate significance remains the discipline ruling itself rather than any assumption about how TPS will replace him.
The case also shows the weight a match official’s evidence can carry when video does not provide a clear view of an incident. Liiga accepted the linesman’s account and imposed a substantial ban, while Wernblom continues to offer a different explanation of how the contact happened.
Mini Q&A
Why was Lukas Wernblom suspended?
Liiga suspended Wernblom for six games after its disciplinary delegation found that he bit Lukko defenceman Peetro Seppälä’s finger, causing a bleeding wound near the nail.
What is Wernblom’s response to the allegation?
Wernblom denies intentionally biting Seppälä and says he was trying to free his head after Seppälä’s fingers came into contact with his eye, mouth, cheek and lip.
Did video footage show the alleged bite?
No. Liiga’s disciplinary decision stated that the bite was not visible on video, but the delegation accepted a linesman’s reported observation as sufficient evidence.
Coach Mark Comment
The part that makes this difficult to judge from the outside is the lack of video showing the alleged bite.
Wernblom’s explanation is that he was trying to get clear after pressure around his eye and mouth. Liiga reached a different conclusion after taking the linesman’s account into consideration. Once the ban has been imposed, the useful focus for TPS is not to relitigate the shift through the season, but to manage six games without a forward who has supplied 17 points in 17 appearances.
IHM Final View
Lukas Wernblom’s six-game suspension stands as a Liiga disciplinary decision, despite his denial that he intentionally bit Peetro Seppälä. The evidence accepted by the delegation included a linesman’s observation rather than a clear video image, while Wernblom’s own account remains that he was attempting to free himself from a painful hold. For TPS, the confirmed consequence is the absence of a prolific forward for six games.