LBS head Ciprus: we backed Estonia's stance on naturalisation, but we have other priorities
Latvia's basketball federation and seven others have urged FIBA to limit the inclusion of players with no tie to a country in national teams. LBS Secretary General Kaspars Ciprus says the issue was not a priority but deserved support.
Kaspars Ciprus, secretary general of the Latvian Basketball Union (LBS), has spoken to Latvian Radio about a recent initiative by basketball federations against the naturalisation of foreigners in sport. The basketball federations of Latvia and seven other countries have appealed to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), calling for limits on including players in national teams who have been granted citizenship despite having no connection to the country.
Why the issue is being raised
International sport continues to see a trend of foreigners receiving citizenship even though they have no ties to the country concerned. This is the concern behind the federations' joint appeal to FIBA.
The LBS position
According to Ciprus, the matter was not a top priority for the LBS, which has other priorities. Even so, he said the initiative put forward by the Estonian neighbours deserved backing, and the Latvian federation therefore supported it.
