Already in 2017, the Ministry of Education and Science initiated the merging of the four national sports bases under its management, creating a centralized management structure and saving funds. In January, the MES will continue consultations with the sports industry on the management of sports capital companies and a possible merger of these companies.
The Ministry has four national sports bases – SIA “Sporta centrs” Mežaparks “”, SIA “Tenisa centrs” Lielupe “”, SIA “Bobsleja un kamaniņu trase” Sigulda “” and VSIA “Kultūras un sporta centrs” Daugavas stadions “”.
As Kohl mentioned, the merging of the bases has not been successful, because there is no convincing argument from the Ministry of Education and Science on how this model will improve the management, what it will give financially and administratively and what athletes will benefit from it. Representatives of winter sports have asked the Executive Committee of the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOC) to participate in MES working groups and commission meetings in order to understand the Ministry’s arguments and express their opinion.
“I still perceive this offer as rather unprepared. Combining all four objects together is not really the right option, because they are significantly different from each other. Three of them are located in Riga and Jurmala and are related to summer sports, but one – in Sigulda, where In Sigulda, there is a need for a continuous presence, as the schedule is tight and much depends on a number of external conditions that make decisions quickly and on the ground. In Sigulda, a person on the ground with the power to make his own decisions is needed, rather than consulting leadership in Riga, “said Kohl.
The President of the LBSF also noted that the negotiations on the merger of the bases should continue in the conditions when face-to-face discussions are possible in order to be able to fully express and argue one’s opinion.
“If there is a reasoned opinion, why not choose to manage differently? However, so far it has been the case that people who are close to the ruling parties running the ministry at the time are appointed to such positions. That would be the worst solution,” Kohl said.
Strenga also emphasized that the track should be managed by a person or board located on site in Sigulda.
“If the track should only be maintained and more than that, then there would be no problems. But if the planned reconstruction works take place on the track, then it would be good if there is a board right at the site, how to make operational decisions. It is difficult to imagine how the model will work during reconstruction. in which strategic decisions are made elsewhere, “said Strenga.
He also said that it is important for federations to have a responsible person on the track with whom to communicate everyday issues.
“At the moment, when there are simple daily tasks and no strategic decisions, there would be no big problems, but strategic decisions require a key person on the ground,” said Strenga.
In April 2017, the then Minister of Education Kārlis Šadurskis (JV), meeting with the track director Daina Dukurs, expressed confidence that the Sigulda bobsleigh and sleigh track does not need to be included in the centralized management model, as its farm and administration are well implemented.
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