The Latvian Seimas adopted amendments to the legislation prohibiting national sports teams from playing against the national teams of Russia and Belarus, even if Russian and Belarusian athletes compete under neutral flags.
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The ban applies to team sports for adults, youth and juniors.
The main goal of the amendments is to once again emphasize Latvia’s solidarity with Ukraine and fundamentally block any attempts by Russia to legitimize its war crimes through the sports industry, the Seimas noted.
Previously, Latvian teams, if they were placed in the same group with the Russians and Belarusians, were forced to either play, receive a technical loss, or pay a fine.
Now, if, as a result of the draw of the Latvian national team, an opponent from Russia or Belarus falls out, international sports organizations will have to respect the legislation of Latvia, explained the representative of the Seimas, Davis Martins Daugavitis.
At the same time, these amendments do not regulate the participation of Latvian athletes in the Olympic Games – such a decision is made by the Latvian Olympic Committee. However, the sports teams of Russia and Belarus cannot yet qualify for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Source: Racurs
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