“The main objective of the amendments to the law is to reiterate Latvia’s solidarity with Ukraine and to block any attempts by Russia to legitimize its war crimes through the sports sector,” the Latvian Saeima stated.
From: Euromaiden Press BY IRYNA VOICHUK
The Latvian Saeima has passedamendments to the Sports Law, effectively banning Latvian national teams from competing against Russian and Belarusian teams in team sports. This decision, made on Thursday, 1 February, extends to matches where athletes from these countries compete under a neutral status.
The International Olympic Committee declared that Russian and Belarusian athletes who have met the qualification criteria of the International Federation will be granted the opportunity to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris as Individual Neutral Athletes without any national affiliation.
Dāvis Mārtiņš Daugavietis, Chair of the Sports Subcommittee of the Education, Culture and Science Committee of the Saeima, underscored the motive behind the amendments, stating, “The basic idea of the amendments to the Sports Law is to stipulate at the level of national legislation that Latvian national teams representing team sports games, such as basketball, football or hockey, cannot play neither domestically, nor in neutral locations with teams from the aggressor countries – Russia and Belarus.”
Voice of Ukraine 