Paralympic champion Apinis accuses Latvian Olympic Committee of meddling in Paralympic affairs
Four-time Paralympic champion Aigars Apinis has published an open letter accusing the Latvian Olympic Committee of attempting to influence decisions of the Latvian Paralympic Committee ahead of its leadership elections. The letter was sent to top state officials.
Discus and shot put athlete Aigars Apinis, holder of four Paralympic gold medals, published an open letter on Wednesday raising concerns about actions by the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOK) regarding the Latvian Paralympic Committee (LPK).
Apinis says LOK convened an urgent meeting on August 13 to decide on action ahead of LPK's General Assembly, scheduled for August 30, where a new LPK board will be elected. Since LOK has no voting rights at that assembly, he considers such involvement suspicious — after the meeting, several sports federations reportedly received calls urging support for a specific presidential candidate backed by LOK.
Concerns over land and funding
The letter also raises the issue of the Bišumuiža sports center — a five-hectare plot owned by LPK in Riga, designated since 2017 for building a Para Sports Center, with the purchase contract specifying this as its sole permitted use. Apinis says this matter was also discussed at the August 13 meeting.
He links LOK's activity to a State Sports Fund law currently before parliament (Saeima), which would give LPK a say in distributing sports funding. In his view, the goal is to increase LOK's control over the sports budget rather than to develop para sports.
Call to preserve independence
Apinis stresses that LPK must remain an independent organization led by people with para sports experience. He warns that if leadership were taken over by people unfamiliar with the field, children, young people and adults with disabilities could lose access to adapted sports activities, since LPK is currently the only organization ensuring their inclusion in sport.
The letter was addressed to President Edgars Rinkēvičs, Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, LPK, the head of the Saeima's sports subcommittee, sports federation representatives, ministers and the ombudswoman. Current LPK president Daiga Dadzīte has held the post since 2009.
