Sports policy | A new law came into force in Latvia: banning games against Russia and Belarus

Latvian national sports teams are no longer allowed to play against the national teams of Russia or Belarus. About that news among others the Latvian broadcasting company LSM.

The ban is written into the country's sports law and it covers both matches played in the respective countries and on neutral grounds. The Latvian parliament Saeima decided on the entry into force of the law change on Thursday, February 1.

With the same change in the law, it was decided that competitions in which teams from Russia or Belarus participate may not be organized in Latvia. The line-up also applies to competing under a neutral flag.

The law was changed out of solidarity with Ukraine. Ukraine has been on the defensive against Russia's war of aggression since February 2022, and Belarus has supported Russia.

“The change in the law means that if the Latvian national team is drawn to play against Russia or Belarus, international sports organizations must respect Latvian legislation,” says the chairman of the Saeima's sports subcommittee Dāvis Mārtiņš Daugavietis for LSM.

The change in the law does not yet affect the participation of Latvian athletes in the Paris Olympics next summer. The country's Olympic Committee is expected to decide on it later.

The new law therefore, Latvian national teams may have to give up matches if the international sports organizations decide on the participation of Russia and Belarus.

The LSM article points out that competitions in which Russian and Belarusian teams are involved could soon become “farces” if several countries end up with the same solution as Latvia. In this case, a significant number of matches could have to be cancelled.

Latvia and Belarus are both involved in the men's soccer Nations League, whose groups will be drawn on February 8. However, countries cannot be drawn in the same block, as they are in the same draw basket. Russia is still shut out of international football.

Latvia is also a regular visitor at prestigious ice hockey tournaments. Russia and Belarus have been excluded from international tournaments for the time being, but the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF has hinted at the possibility that the countries would return to the World Cup or the Olympics.