Latvian Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission backs Samoilova's right to speak out

The Athletes' Commission of the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOC) has issued a statement defending beach volleyball player Anastasija Samoilova's right to publicly discuss problems within Latvia's beach volleyball scene. The commission consists of Gunta Vaičule, Anastasija Grigorjeva, Toms Skujiņš, Roberts Akmens, Haralds Silovs, Artūrs Liepa and Baiba Bogdanova, representing various sports.

The situation arose after Samoilova pointed out several issues that need to be addressed to improve Latvia's beach volleyball environment. The Latvian Volleyball Federation reacted sharply, partly attempting to reduce the matter to the athlete's alleged desire for more funding for herself, and sent the world champion a letter described as containing threats.

Athletes' rights and transparency

The Athletes' Commission emphasized that its role is to represent athletes' voices, reminding all parties of a fundamental principle: athletes have the right to ask questions and critically assess their sporting environment, funding and governance without fear of pressure or negative consequences. The commission referenced the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Rights declaration, which upholds freedom of expression and due process.

At the same time, the commission noted that an athlete's expressed opinion must not become grounds for unfairly questioning her integrity or professional reputation. It stated that questions about the use of public funding are not an attack on the system but part of responsible governance, and the public has the right to clear information on such matters.

In conclusion, the Athletes' Commission called on all involved parties to engage in respectful dialogue, stressing that open opinions from athletes can help the sports system develop rather than threaten it.