LATVIA CONSIDERS OLYMPIC BOYCOTT IF RUSSIANS COMPETE

RIGA, LATVIA Latvia will consider boycotting next year’s Paris Olympics if athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus are allowed to take part after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While various governments in Europe, including Latvia, have condemned the International Olympic Committee’s push to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete, and Ukraine has threatened to boycott the Games, the response from the national Olympic committees sending teams has been muted. There was no immediate response from the IOC. Latvia, which borders Russia and regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, has been a strong supporter of Ukraine. Latvia is the defending Olympic champion in men’s 3-on-3 basketball after beating the Russian team in the goldmedal game in Tokyo in 2021.