Latvian Public Media (LSM) has made an editorial decision not to broadcast the opening and closing ceremonies of the summer World Youth Olympic Games and other games events, in which representatives of the aggressor states Russia and Belarus will participate with their flags.
The Summer World Youth Olympic Games will take place in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, from October 31 to November 13. Latvia will be represented by 18 athletes in 12 sports.
It was originally planned that athletes from the aggressor countries Russia and Belarus would compete in the Youth Olympic Games in so-called 'neutral' status, i.e. without their national flags and symbols.
However, Estonian public broadcaster ERR has received confirmation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that Russia and Belarus will compete in the games under their own flags.
LSM considers it unacceptable to normalize the presence of aggressor states at international sporting events while the war started by Russia in Ukraine continues and while Belarus continues to support Russian aggression.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus were banned from international competition after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but their athletes have been competing as neutrals for several years. Some international federations have already lifted their suspensions or eased restrictions.
What happened last summer could be considered a turning point in this matter.
First, the IOC Executive Board announced that it no longer supports any restrictions on the participation of Belarusian athletes, including teams, in competitions governed by international federations and international sporting event organizers. The IOC subsequently announced the provisional lifting of the Russian Olympic Committee's suspension.
These decisions further encouraged international federations to continue to ease restrictions on athletes from aggressor countries returning to international competition.
And finally, the time has come for the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, where it was announced at the last minute that Russia and Belarus will also be able to compete under their own flags.
Russia has been building international influence in sports for years, and it also uses sports to polish the country's reputation, or as researchers call it, "sportswashing" despite its appalling Olympic record of state-sponsored doping.
Maintaining LSM's editorial independence, taking into account the values of public media and responsibility towards society, as well as observing consistency, LSM will not broadcast the opening and closing ceremonies of the Youth Olympic Games and other events where the aggressor states Russia and Belarus will appear with their flags.
On the LSM.lv portal, the Replay.lv platform and the LTV7 channel, from November 2 to 13, every day at 16:25, a review of the Dakar Youth Olympic Games will be available, where you can follow the achievements of Latvian athletes, get to know Latvian athletes and the sports they represent, as well as focus on the discussion about the development of Latvian youth sports.
Therefore, Latvian athletes and their achievements will continue to be seen, heard, and read on LSM, but the sporting performance of aggressor countries will not. Because peace is not just a word at Olympic ceremonies - it is a value whose defence requires clear action.
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