Russia and Belarus Return to Sport: Experts Discuss How Latvia Should Respond
In an LSM sports podcast, experts discuss how Latvian athletes and sports bodies should act as Russia and Belarus regain their place in international competition. Flags of these countries may again be seen at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
A sports podcast by LSM, Latvia's public media outlet, examines a situation in which the aggressor states Russia and Belarus are increasingly confidently regaining their positions in world sport and returning to international competition. The discussion centres on how Latvian athletes and sports organisations should act in these circumstances.
The participants note that flags of the aggressor states could fly at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This makes Latvia's stance a current question, well ahead of the Games.
Who takes part
Four guests appear in the podcast:
- Raimonds Rudzāts, a journalist with Latvian Television (LTV);
- Jānis Janševics, a journalist with the TV3 channel;
- Jānis Ķipurs, an Olympic champion in bobsleigh;
- Jānis Sarāns-Reneslācis, a sworn advocate and sports law expert.
The conversation therefore brings together the views of journalists, an athlete and a legal specialist on how Latvian sport should respond to the return of the aggressor states to international sport.
The podcast was published on 28 October 2026.
