Opinion: How Latvian hockey should respond to Russia's return to international hockey

A column by journalist Armands Puče has been published on the Latvian news portal Delfi about a turn in the world of ice hockey. According to him, an arbitration court has ordered the international hockey federation to take Russian representatives back, which also means restoring the Russian flag within the international hockey community. The column asks how Latvian hockey, including the Latvian Hockey Federation (LHF) and the national team, should react.

The author's assessment

Puče argues that the case once again showed that the world can be bought. As an example, he cites Latvian state budget money going to Zimbabwe and asks what it is doing there. In his view, Russia uses a similar method, only on a different scale, to build networks of influence so that it can gain sway and power in other countries.

Scepticism about Latvian hockey leadership

The author considers it naive to expect LHF president Aigars Kalvītis to publicly explain Russia's intentions towards Latvia. He describes Kalvītis as an heir to Russian gas assets. Puče also says similar hopes should not be pinned on the Latvia national team's head coach and his assistants, whom he describes as holders of the Russian Order of Friendship, Order of Honour and Order of Alexander Nevsky.

The columnist also notes that it was interesting to watch the reaction during the first hours after the arbitration ruling was announced. The available part of the text does not set out a full answer on what Latvian hockey should do next; the piece is the author's opinion, not an official statement by the LHF or the international federation.