Russian lugers will not be allowed to compete in the World Cup in Sigulda even under a neutral flag

This was stated by the president of the Latvian Luge Federation, Klavs Vasks, at a press conference on November 10, as reported by the LETA agency. An extraordinary FIL congress will be held on Thursday, November 12, where the issue of allowing Russian athletes to return to international competitions as neutral athletes will be discussed. Latvia intends to vote against such a decision. However, Vasks acknowledged that the vote of the Latvian federation may not be sufficient to maintain the international ban. ### Even neutral status will not help According to Vasks, the Latvian side has already warned FIL that Russian lugers will not be able to compete in Sigulda even if they obtain neutral status. This is hindered by the current legislation of Latvia. In addition, last year, Foreign Minister Baiba Braže included 14 Russian lugers in the list of undesirable persons, banning them from entering the country indefinitely. Thus, a possible decision by the international federation to allow Russians will not lift the existing restrictions in Latvia. ### Latvia has appealed to international federations Vasks reported that he sent a letter to the federations of other countries urging them not to allow Russian athletes to compete. He emphasized that Latvia's position remains unchanged despite the decisions and recommendations of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). "As long as rockets are flying and the parents, friends, and relatives of Ukrainian athletes are suffering from this, we do not see a place for Russian athletes in the family of luge sports," Vasks stated. At the same time, he acknowledged that the appeal from the Latvian side may have more of a symbolic significance, but he believes it is necessary to openly express their position. According to the head of the federation, the position of FIL leadership remains unclear for now. The international federation receives funding from the IOC and is forced to take into account the decisions of sports arbitration bodies. Alexander Samoilov, the director of the sports department of the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science, also emphasized the need to consistently oppose the return of Russian athletes to the international arena. The fourth stage of the World Cup in luge is scheduled to take place in Sigulda in early January 2027.