VILNIUS, (Reuters) – Latvia’s parliament voted to ban its national teams from playing any national teams of Russia and Belarus regardless of what flag they may compete under, as a gesture of solidarity with Ukraine.
National and club teams from Russia and its ally Belarus have been banned from competing in numerous international events after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, including from Belarus’ territory.
The Latvian Olympics Committee said the move will not impact the country’s participation at the Olympics in Paris as the International Olympic Committee only allows individual Russian or Belarusian athletes – not teams – to take part as neutrals without flags.
Athletics, the Games’ biggest event, has maintained a blanket ban on both nations’ athletes, including individuals.
European Union-member Latvia, which borders both Russia and Belarus, passed the law “to re-emphasize Latvia’s solidarity with Ukraine and to fundamentally block any Russian efforts to legitimize its war crimes through the sports industry”, parliament said in a statement.
UEFA in September reinstated under-17 Russian sides in European competitions, saying “children should not be punished for actions whose responsibility lies exclusively with adults”.
That decision was reversed within weeks, however, after other national sides threatened boycotts, including the United Kingdom.
Last April, Ukraine barred its national sports teams from competing in Olympic, non-Olympic and Paralympic events that have competitors from Russia and Belarus.
The ban was watered down in July to allow athletes to compete against Russians or Belarusian’s playing under a neutral flag, as worries mounted that such a tough stance would exclude Ukraine from the Paris Olympics.
Photo by Alena Kalashmatina on Unsplash
