On Thursday, 9 October, the Saeima adopted a statement condemning the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to restore full participation of Russia and Belarus in the Paralympic movement.

In the statement, the Saeima calls on the IPC to reconsider its decision in order to prevent the Paralympic movement from becoming an instrument for legitimizing aggression, emphasising that the decision contradicts the Olympic Charter and the European Sport Model, which include the respect for human rights, the autonomy of sport, and political neutrality as the essential fundamental principles. According to the statement, Russia and Belarus—aggressor states that systematically violate these rights and the territorial integrity of their neighbour Ukraine—have no place in either the Paralympic or Olympic Games.

In the document, the Saeima reiterates that Russia and Belarus systematically use sport as an instrument of political and military propaganda, wherein athletes usually have ties to, or are employed by, military and security institutions, thereby violating the principle of autonomy of sport. Furthermore, there is a high likelihood that representatives of the aggressor states, including former soldiers and mercenaries, will participate in the Paralympic Games.

The Saeima also emphasises that lifting the suspension of the aggressor states effectively turns the Paralympic movement into an instrument for legitimizing war, undermining both sporting values and the international community’s trust in the movement. Latvia will continue to consistently defend the true Olympic ideals of peace, human dignity, and justice, the Saeima affirms in the statement.

In its statement, the Saeima reiterates its firm condemnation of the actions of Russia and Belarus and demands the immediate end of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Having witnessed the atrocities, crimes, and devastation that Russia has continued to perpetrate since the beginning of the war, the Saeima repeatedly condemns the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sport competitions until the war ends in Ukraine, the statement emphasizes.

Saeima Press Service