Latvia will not allow Russian lugers to compete in Sigulda — Baltic News Network

Latvia will not allow Russian lugers to take part in the Luge World Cup event due to be held in Sigulda in early January, even if they are granted neutral status. This was stated by Klavs Vasks, president of the Latvian Luge Federation, Baltic News Network reports.

Vote in the international federation

On November 12, the International Luge Federation will hold an extraordinary congress at which it will decide whether to allow Russian lugers to participate in competitions as neutral athletes. Latvia will vote against such a decision, but Vasks acknowledged that its vote may not be decisive.

According to him, the Latvian side has already informed the international federation that the sports law does not allow Russian athletes to compete on the country’s territory even under neutral status. The Latvian Luge Federation plans to hold the World Cup event without Russian and neutral participants.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Entry restrictions

Most members of Russia’s national luge team had previously been declared undesirable persons in Latvia, so they cannot enter the country. Last year, Foreign Minister Baiba Braže added 14 Russian lugers to the list of undesirable persons for an indefinite period.

Vasks also said that he had sent national federations a letter condemning the idea of returning Russian athletes to international competitions. He stressed that the Latvian side sees no place for them in the luge community while missile strikes and the suffering of people close to Ukrainian athletes continue. A representative of Latvia’s Ministry of Education and Science, Aleksandrs Samoilovs, called for maintaining this position and preventing Russian athletes from returning to international events.