Graudiņa joins Samoilova's dispute with Latvian Volleyball Federation

Beach volleyball player Tīna Graudiņa said on Instagram she hopes negotiations with the Latvian Volleyball Federation (LVF) will help resolve the issue of support for young beach volleyball athletes.

Her beach volleyball partner, Anastasija Samoilova, last week posted a critical statement accusing the LVF of insufficiently supporting beach volleyball. The federation rejected the criticism, saying elite beach volleyball players from the Latvian Olympic Unit (LOV) are generously funded.

Discussion took an unintended turn

Graudiņa noted that the current discussion has moved in a different direction than the two athletes originally intended. She stressed that she and Samoilova personally receive strong support and funding from the LOV, so their criticism was not about their own situation.

Precisely because they feel financially secure, Samoilova was willing to draw attention to how the LVF distributes its budget, since, in the players' view, beach volleyball athletes — especially the most talented young players — have long received inadequate support. Graudiņa expressed hope the matter can be resolved through mutual talks with the federation, saying all sides want the sport to grow.

Federation asks for evidence

After Samoilova's critical statement, the LVF asked her to explain what facts her claims against the federation were based on. Samoilova responded by pointing out that the LVF is funded by the state, meaning taxpayers' money, so questions about how those funds are spent and whether the distribution is fair should not, in her view, be a matter athletes are expected to stay silent about.