Latvian national sports teams will not be allowed to compete with their Russian and Belarusian counterparts, as provided by amendments to the Sports Law passed in the Saeima in the second reading on Thursday, the 21st of December.
The prohibition will remain in force if athletes from the two aforementioned countries are permitted to participate in sports competition under a neutral flag, reports the Saeima press service.
Also, the amendments to the law provide that Latvia will not be allowed to organize national team competitions of team sports games in which the national teams of Russia or Belarus participate under their own flag or in a neutral status.
This will apply to both adult, youth and junior competitions.
The objective of these law amendments is to once again emphasise Latvia’s solidarity with Ukraine
and block Russia’s every attempt to legitimise its war crimes through the sports sector.
“The main thought behind amendments to the Sports Law is setting on a national level that Latvian sports teams do not compete with teams from aggressor countries – Russia and Belarus – in team sports, such as basket ball, football or hockey,” says chairman of Saeima’s Education, Culture and Science Committee’s Sports Sub-Committee Dāvis Mārtiņš Daugavietis. “This means that if Latvia is paired with Russia or Belarus, international sports organisations will have to respect Latvian legislation,” explains Daugavietis.
Saeima deputies previously stressed about these amendments that the international sports community is currently making decisions that “could bring back” Russian and Belarusian teams. According to authors of legislative amendments, Latvia may end up in a situation when it is paired in competition with teams from Russia or Belarus. Because of the existing legislation, Latvian teams would be forced to compete, receive technical loss or pay a fine.
The supported redaction of the legislative draft currently does not regulate the participation in Latvian athletes in Olympic Games. The decision regarding athletes’ participation in Olympic Games is made by the Latvian Olympic Committee. “Teams of athletes from aggressor countries can no longer qualify for Olympic Games,” claims Daugavietis.
As previously mentioned by authors of amendments, the intended amendments have been discussed with representatives of the sports sector.
For amendments to come into force, the committee and the Saeima have to review and pass them in the final reading.
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