LPK presidential candidate Apine hopes for closer cooperation among members
Latvian Paralympic Committee Secretary General and presidential candidate Liene Apine says she hopes for more effective cooperation between LPK members, while criticizing the Latvian Olympic Committee's involvement in LPK affairs. The LPK presidential election is set for August 30.
Liene Apine, Secretary General of the Latvian Paralympic Committee (LPK) and one of two candidates for its presidency, told the LETA news agency she hopes cooperation among LPK members will improve after the upcoming election. On Wednesday, the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOK) held a working meeting to which leaders of Olympic sport federations, candidates for the LPK board, and other LPK members were invited. LPK had asked for the meeting to be cancelled, and Apine did not attend, calling it an inappropriate intervention by an outside organization into LPK's internal, election-related processes.
Apine said LPK had already calmly explained its operating principles and statutes to LOK, but believes LOK ignored this. She also expressed surprise that LOK's interest in parasport development emerged specifically before the election, noting that no direct contact between the organizations had occurred earlier despite the sports community being small and well connected.
The other candidate's position
The second presidential candidate, Edgars Stobovs, who also attended the meeting, argued that LPK's Executive Committee, which approves the annual budget, should play a bigger role, and said he hoped for stronger cooperation among members for the benefit of athletes, citing the newly adopted Sports Law.
Apine has worked at LPK since 2018 and also serves on the boards of several international parasport organizations. She highlighted close contacts with paralympic committees of other countries and involvement in discussions on the participation of Russia and Belarus in sport. She noted support from athletes and federations that nominated her, and stressed the importance of involving children, youth and so-called "young athletes" — people who acquire disabilities later in life — in parasport.
The dispute intensified after four-time Paralympic champion Aigars Apinis wrote an open letter on August 19 expressing concern about possible LOK influence over LPK decisions. LOK rejected the accusations of interference, citing its legally defined role in coordinating the sports sector, while LPK suggested addressing future cooperation after the election. LPK's new board will be elected on August 30.
