This year, the World Road Cycling Championship will take place in September in Australia. Latvia will be entitled to only one quota in individual competitions after its place in the ranking of nations, and LRF general secretary Tom Marks has indicated to the Delfi portal that this one quota may also remain unfilled, as LRF lacks funding for it. Marks emphasized that it is not just about sending one person on the long way to Australia, but the service staff is also needed.
The LOK responded to this publication with a public statement, in which they informed about their funding for the Cycling Federation. This year it amounts to 209 thousand euros, which is 65 thousand more than the previous year.
“Compared to the year 2021, the increase in funding is 65,382 euros, and it is largely due to the results of the TOP athletes. It is within the competence of the Federation to use this funding in accordance with their own priorities, among which athletes’ starts at the World Championship should naturally be included,” he writes LOC.
Compared to the previous year (according to information provided by LOK), the largest increase in LRF funding received from LOK is in benefits for LOV athletes and in the section “training – competition work”.
“LOK believes that the priority is the participation of athletes in the main competitions of the season, representing the national team. And from more than 200,000 euros, funding can certainly be found to send the best cyclists to the World Championships. The funding is. It is the competence and responsibility of the federations – to define what is a priority,” the LOK statement said. “Furthermore, the estimate submitted by LRF shows that participation in the world championship is planned for three athletes (Skujins, Liepins, Neilands), including travel expenses to Australia.”
Later in the evening, in a conversation with the Sportacentrs.com portal, Tom Marks explained that he did not make any accusations or accusations at the LOK, he simply tried to draw the public’s attention to the state funding, which is currently not enough to start the world championship. Marks also explained the estimate published by LOK, reminding that it includes expenses for competitions in several types of cycling – road cycling, MTB, BMX freestyle and classic BMX.
Accordingly, the LOK funding for high achievements must be divided among these disciplines, leaving about 5,000 euros for road cycling. On the other hand, LOV funding for individual athletes, which constitutes a large part of the total funding, is intended for individual athletes, and this money should not be used for other purposes now, Marks said.
#SkaidrojamFaktus
Is it really possible that the Latvian Cycling Federation with more than 200,000 funding from LOK cannot take cyclists to the World Championship in Australia? @Ritenbrauksana @TomsMarkss pic.twitter.com/m3pJlxYVF0— LOK (@Olympic_lv) July 12, 2022
