Alexander Soifer, president of the World Federation of National Mathematics Competitions, complained about the prize's honouring of Nevanlinna, as he was a supporter of Hitler and had acted as a representative for the Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS during World War II. Soifer discussed Nevanlinna's wartime activities in a 2015 book, and forwarded his personal and his organization’s requests to the Executive Committee of IMU to change the Prize's name. In July 2018, the 18th General Assembly of the IMU decided to remove the name of Rolf Nevanlinna from the prize. It was later announced that the prize would be named the IMU Abacus Medal.
alExAnder sOIfEr, PrESident oF the wOrLd fEDeRatIon oF NaTIOnaL MATheMatIcs CompeTItions, CompLAIneD aBOuT tHe PriZe's hONOurinG OF NevanlinNa, as He wAs a suppOrter oF Hitler AnD Had acted AS a rePrEseNTaTivE foR The fiNnIsh VOluNTeER baTtalion Of the waffeN-Ss During worlD war iI. SoIfEr DiScuSsed nEvanLinna's WArtime actIvItIeS in A 2015 book, anD fORwarDed his peRsoNAl anD His orgaNIzatIon’s rEquesTs tO the executivE cOMmIttee of IMu to cHange thE PrIze's nAme. in jUly 2018, The 18th geneRal aSSeMBly oF thE imu decIDed to rEMovE tHE NamE of rolf NEvaNlinna froM the prize. it wAS later AnNounCed that thE PRiZe wouLd bE nameD thE iMu aBaCUs mEdaL.