It is premature to throw around the word ''boycott'' in regards to Olympics - LOC general secretary

RIGA - Latvian Olympic Committee (LOC) Secretary General Karlis Lejnieks told Latvian Television (LTV) on Tuesday that the LOC is not ready to make a decision yet on the participation of Latvian athletes in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris if Russian and Belarusian athletes take part.

The IOC last weekend permitted Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate as neutral athletes in next year's Paris Olympics, despite the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.

As Lejnieks said in a telephone conversation on Latvian Television this morning, it is premature and inappropriate to throw around the word "boycott", because it also imposes certain obligations for the future.

"It is difficult for me to comment on what the IOC can or cannot change," said Lejnieks. "We know what we have to do. Our fight is firstly for Ukraine to take part [in the Olympics], secondly for the aggressor countries not to take part," he continued.

As Lejnieks pointed out, the LOC's position will be closely linked to the position of the Ukrainian side and their decision whether or not to participate in the Olympics if Russians and Belarusians compete there.

"A lot can still change before the Olympics," said the LOC general secretary. 'France's own position must also be taken into account, because they have the possibility to exclude athletes from the countries concerned. We still have a long way to go and we should not rush into concrete decisions," he said.