Russian lugers will not race at Sigulda World Cup whatever FIL congress decides

Russian lugers will not compete at the World Cup race in Sigulda in early January, Klāvs Vasks, president of the Latvian Luge Federation (LKSF), told a news conference on Tuesday, 10 November, LSM, the Latvian public broadcaster, reported. On Thursday, 12 November, an extraordinary congress of the International Luge Federation (FIL) will decide whether to let Russian athletes back as neutrals.

Latvia to vote against

Latvia's position has not changed and it will vote against neutral status for Russian athletes. Vasks admitted he was not sure Latvia's vote would be decisive this time. He said the FIL leadership's stance was unclear because the federation is funded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and cannot fully go against decisions of the IOC and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

On Monday Vasks sent another letter to all national federations condemning the idea of letting Russia return. “While missiles are flying and the parents, friends and relatives of Ukrainian athletes are suffering, we see no place for [Russian] athletes in the luge family,” he said. “Maybe it is more of a symbolic protest, but we had to say it.”

Why they will not race in Sigulda

Latvia has already reminded the FIL that Russian athletes cannot compete in Latvia even as neutrals, because the country's sports law does not allow it. Last year Foreign Minister Baiba Braže also put 14 Russian lugers on Latvia's list of unwanted persons indefinitely, so most of the Russian team cannot enter the country. Aleksandrs Samoilovs, head of the sports department at the Ministry of Education and Science, said Latvia had to hold its position to the end.

The World Cup season starts in Winterberg, Germany, on 28-29 November. Sigulda hosts the fourth race of the season.