The Latvian Ski Federation (LSF) has sent out a press release in which it has expressed its position and arguments about the changed composition of cross-country skiers for the Beijing Olympics.
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The Delphi portal republishes the full letter:
The decision of the Board of the Latvian Ski Federation (LSF) on January 19, 2022 to withdraw the previously nominated Induli Bikši from participation in the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing has caused a number of events and loud statements that require further explanation. All the more so because part of the media, “explaining the truth”, only listens to the views of one party (Indulis Bikše), which seems sensational but unfounded.
Following the protest of Indulis Bikše, the Executive Committee (IC) of the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOC) called on the LSF board to reconsider the issue of the second cross-country skiing trip for which Roberts Slotiņš and Indulis Bikše are applying. That decision also states that ‘the federation of the sport concerned is fully responsible, both in practice and in law, for the nomination of athletes for participation in the Olympic Games’.
At the extraordinary meeting of the LSF Board (Sunday, January 23), which was attended by LOK IC representatives Edgars Pukinsks and Gunta Vaičule, Indulis Bikše and his father and coach Zintis Bikše continued to falsely claim that no LSF funding was available. Many unanswered e-mails are made by the LSF in secret. There is poor communication with the LSF board, Bikšes does not trust it. Indulis Bikše pointed out that he was ready for the Olympic Games, but it would be difficult to work with the team, it is not known whether to let the LSF staff make skis. After learning about the available funding from Madona municipality, he turned to the police and the press, because “it is effective to turn to the police and also to the public”.
On January 18, Bikše continued to lie on the portal “la.lv”: “We have not received a single cent from the federation this season.” Documents show otherwise. A cooperation agreement has been concluded between LSF on the one hand and Induli Bikši (as an athlete) and Zinti Bikši (as a coach) on the other hand for the 2021/2022 season support in the amount of 2500.00 euros, to be paid to promote the development of sports and the Olympic movement in Latvia, successful implementation of the Olympic Games preparation program.
Of the Agreement 3.1. “The Athlete and Coach shall submit to the Federation all reports on the use of funding under the Program during each calendar month by the fifteenth day of the following month, in accordance with a report form approved by the Federation and accompanied by copies of primary accounting documents.”
According to LSF accounting data 10.11.2021. Indulis Bikše has submitted an advance request and received an advance of EUR 2500.00 from LSF to the bank account indicated in the advance request for the training training camp in Finland and for participation in the PK stage in Ruka, the use of which is still until 19.01.2022. no report was submitted to the board meeting.
Also at the January 23 board meeting, Zintis Bikše pointed out that he had not received LSF funding. But on January 21, the LSF was finally sent a report (court, incomplete) on the use of the allocated funding, ie Bikšes had acknowledged the receipt of funding with his actions.
LSF accounting data show that in 2020 a total of 1800.00 euros was transferred to Indulis Bikše’s bank account, but in 2021 a total of 4000.00 euros. Isn’t this money really “not a cent” worth of trousers ?!
In a letter dated 17 January, Zintis Bikše Falsely claims that “LSF has unreasonably misappropriated and failed to inform Indulis Bikš about the funding granted by the Madona municipality in early December to prepare for the OS.”
According to LSF accounting data, funding has been received from Madona municipality to support four athletes, in the total amount of 4000.00 euros. The municipality has always informed the athletes whose support has been allocated. In this case, three athletes have been informed, requested and received funding, one of which will be requested at a later date. No request has been received from Indulis Bikše. The financing of Madona municipality in the amount of 1000.00 euros has not been paid out. Neither Indulis Bikše nor Zintis Bikše addressed the LSF with a relevant question before going to the police and reporting to the press.
The board of the LSF categorically opposes any public action before turning to the LSF, simply because it may seem “effective” to someone. The LSF also categorically disagrees with the public statement that LSF decisions are made in secret, because all LSF decisions are publicly available, any athlete can participate in the LSF both as a member of the standing commissions and by applying for separate issues.
Since 2011, all Athletes in the LSF have signed and submitted an Athlete Declaration prior to the issuance of an Athlete’s License, which also includes the following statement: “I agree not to provide and not to disclose any official information or statements to third parties (journalists, officials) that are directly or indirectly attributable to the LSF or may harm the authority of the LSF. “
Indulis Bikše has also provided such an Athlete’s declaration.
The basic principle contained in Article 3 (2) of the Law on Sport states that the principle of “fair play” is important in sport, which requires that the educational, organizational and management of sport respect the Olympic ideals and ethical principles and combat unfairness and doping in sport, against physical and moral rudeness; “
The Code of Ethics of the Latvian Olympic Committee states that Fair Play is much more than just following the law and the rules of sports competitions. It includes the concepts of mutual respect, athletic spirit and friendship, it is not only a way of behavior, but also a way of thinking.
The Board of the LSF believes that the principles of Fair Play apply not only to the specific sporting activity, but also to all activities and communication performed by the Athlete and its representatives both in connection with sport and outside sporting activities. The provision of false defamatory public information about a sports federation harms not only the sports federation but also the Olympic movement and society as a whole. The Athlete, like any member of the public, has the right to express his or her views publicly, but as a public individual, the Athlete must be aware of and responsible for the impact of his or her views on public opinion.
Such false statements in the public environment negatively affect existing and potential cooperation with any kind of supporters. Therefore, such activities are perceived by the LSF as harmful to other members of the federation, whose interests the LSF must defend.
The principle of fair play also includes the obligation to acknowledge your mistakes and correct them accordingly. Examining the specific issue at the extraordinary meeting on January 23, the LSF Board found that Indulis Bikše and his coach / representative Zintis Bikše do not acknowledge their false public statements and do not withdraw them in any way.
Neither the statutes of the LSF nor the decisions of the general meeting of members lay down special procedures for the use of Olympic quotas. Decisions on the use of quotas for all sports are decided by a board in which all ski sports are represented, thus ensuring that decisions are balanced and independent. The decision to withdraw Indulis Bikše from the participation in the Olympic Games was taken unanimously by the Board. Even after re-examining the issue, none of the board members had changed their mind.
The LSF Board found that Indulis Bikše and his coach / representative Zintis Bikše had repeatedly violated Article 10 of the Code of Ethics of the International Olympic Committee, the introductory parts of the Code of Ethics of the Latvian Olympic Committee and 1.4. violation of Article 18 of the Sports Law, LSF Athlete Declaration, and decides:
1.1. leave unchanged the decision of the LSF Board of 19.01.2022 on the dissemination of false news and the destruction of the image of the Latvian Ski Federation, stating that the actions of Indulis Bikše and Zinta Bikše at the Olympic Games will have a negative impact on the cross-country skiing and , but also for the Latvian team and the image of Latvia in general, to withdraw the previously nominated Induli Bikši from participation in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing;
1.2. based on the LSF selection procedure for participation in the XXIV Winter Olympic Games in Beijing in cross-country skiing, to approve Robert Sloti as the next point in the selection.
Thus, Patrīcija Eiduka, Baiba Bendika, Kitija Auziņa, Samanta Krampe, Estere Wolfa, Raimo Vīgants and Roberts Slotiņš will represent Latvia in cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.
