LSFP president: We need to be negotiated with as a single industry

Einars Fogelis | Photo: Eddy Palen / LETA

The Council of Latvian Sports Federations (LSFP) and the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOK) must jointly achieve that the sports industry becomes more unified, the president of the organization Einars Fogelis said at the LSFP general meeting.

It has already been reported that on Wednesday, during the LOK General Assembly, a vote was taken against the merger of LOK and LSFP, therefore this issue was not considered at all at the general meeting of LSFP.

LSFP president Fogelis, addressing the participants of the general meeting, reminded that the creation of a united and strong sports organization was initiated by the members themselves, or sports federations, and emphasized the need for a united and strong representative of the sports industry, who would be a reliable cooperation partner for the government, municipalities, sponsors and other participants.

“We have to make sure that we are talked to as a whole, unified industry,” LSFP quoted Fogeļas as saying, who also invited representatives of sports federations to an open discussion about the future and future strategy of the industry.

In his speech, Fogelis also emphasized that the priority of the sports industry and LSFP is public health, so it is important to think about motivating every member of society for a physically active lifestyle, as well as motivating the work of sports trainers.

On the other hand, in the debates of the general assembly, opinions were voiced about the shortcomings, so that the proposed merger of the organizations could take place. Unequal conditions between the Olympic and non-Olympic sports federations, haste, lack of openness and insufficient listening to the changes in the financing procedure of the sports sector that happened in a short time were mentioned as the main shortcomings.

At the end of the general meeting, 58 of the members present voted in favor of maintaining the goal of creating one main sports organization, entrusting the LSFP board to listen to sports federations in order to gather opinions and reach a solution acceptable to all parties.

LOK votes against changes in the statutes and reorganization