At a time when Russia is waging and Belarus is supporting a full-scale military aggression against Ukraine, participation of Russian and Belarusian citizens in national and international sporting events cannot be supported stated Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release.
Since the start of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, Latvia’s position on the isolation of Russia in international organizations, their institutions and other formats has been consistent and firm. Such an approach has been applied to Russia as a country – a subject of international law – in general, as well as to its individual representatives and groups of representatives, including athletes.
At all the international forums, the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has consistently expressed the view that participation of Russian and Belarusian citizens in sporting events is unacceptable under the current circumstances.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers it important for European Union Member States to speak with one voice, both in the context of the entry of Russian and Belarusian citizens into the EU and concerning their participation in international sporting events. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will raise this issue in EU formats.
