Mika Poutala
Mika Poutala | ||||||||||||||||||
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Poutala in 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity | ||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 13 June 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Petteri Orpo | |||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Sandra Bergqvist | |||||||||||||||||
| Member of Parliament for Uusimaa | ||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 5 April 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | ||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 20 June 1983 | |||||||||||||||||
| Party | Christian Democrats | |||||||||||||||||
| Website | mikapoutala | |||||||||||||||||
| Sports career | ||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Mika Kristian Poutala | |||||||||||||||||
| Height | 177 cm (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 79 kg (174 lb) | |||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Speed skating | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Mika Kristian Poutala (born 20 June 1983 in Helsinki) is a Finnish Christian Democratic politician and a former speed skater specializing in sprint distances. Poutala held a Finnish record in the sport. Poutala was elected to Parliament in the 2023 parliamentary elections. Since 2023, he has served as the 1st Vice Chair of the Christian Democrats. Poutala has served as the Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity in the Orpo cabinet since 13 June 2025.
Poutala is also a member of the Espoo City Council. He was elected to the council in the 2021 municipal elections with 969 votes.
As a speed skater, Poutala won a European Championship silver medal in the 500 meters and in the team sprint in 2018. He competed in the Olympics four times: Turin 2006, Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, and Pyeongchang 2018. His best Olympic result was fourth place in 2018, when he missed the bronze medal by three hundredths of a second. Poutala ended his athletic career in 2018. At club level, he represented Helsingin Työväen Luistelijat.
Poutala has been a member of the Board of the Finnish Olympic Committee.