Representative of burned motorcyclist files complaint with police

The State Police have received a complaint from a representative of one minor motorsport athlete concerning bodily injuries and damage to a motorcycle sustained during a 24 October competition at the site of the former Liepājas Metalurgs plant in Liepāja. Madara Šeršņova, senior public relations specialist at the State Police, told the news agency LETA. Police are assessing the facts set out in the complaint and will decide on further action.

As background, seven motorsport riders suffered chemical burns at those competitions. Afterwards, the State Environmental Service took soil samples at the site to test in a laboratory for the presence and concentration of lime. The test reports confirm that a strongly alkaline environment had formed in some parts of the competition area. The measured values indicate a significant presence of calcium compounds and a high level of alkalinity, markedly different from natural conditions.

Earlier steps

The State Police had already opened administrative offence proceedings over injuries sustained during the motocross competition at the site.

Kaspars Ērkulis, a representative of the Enduro commission of the Latvian Motorsport Federation, earlier told LETA that four riders with more serious burns had gone to the State Burns Centre to have their health checked. He said the federation had obtained all the required approvals to organise the event, and that both the competition and the riders were insured.