The Latvian National Sports Council (LNSP) approved the distribution of the 2024 state budget funding in the amount of more than 51 million euros for sports, informs the Ministry of Education and Science (IZM).
The total grant for sports federations this year is 6.67 million euros, of which 3.22 million euros have been allocated for the core activities of sports federations, and another 2.24 million euros for 15 priority federations. The state budget grant to the Latvian Olympic Union (LOV) will be more than 7 million euros, to the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOK) – 1.37 million euros, to the Latvian Paralympic Committee (LPK) – almost one million euros, while to the Council of Latvian Sports Federations – 189,508 euros (2023 balance – 164,683 euros).
This year, the financing of the national teams of team sports games will be 1.6 million euros, while 350,000 euros have been allocated for the operation of high-class sportsmen’s training centers this year. The state grant for the organization of priority international sports events in Latvia this year will be 342,849 euros.
LNSP also decided to forward to the Cabinet of Ministers the awarding of a monetary award in the amount of 33,295 euros to the Latvian Shooting Federation and the Latvian Canoe Federation for the high-value achievements of athletes. It is possible to pay them out of the funds allocated in the Law “On the State Budget for 2024” in the sub-programme 09.08.00 “Awards for outstanding achievements in sports” of the basic budget of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
The Ministry of the Interior states that this year’s sports budget is more than 5.5 million euros more than last year.
significantly increasing funding for youth and folk sports, as well as grants to sports federations, LOV and LPK. The new financing arrangement will give Latvian Olympians the opportunity to receive both a salary and social guarantees, as well as to support outstanding sports veterans.
From now on, sports federations will receive state budget funding from one organization with one contract, the conclusion of which and the payment of state budget funds to sports organizations will be completed by the end of February. The goal of the changes is based on a traceable and understandable procedure for receiving state budget funding, in order to reduce administrative expenses related to management, channeling the savings to increase support for federations and social support for individual athletes.
According to the Sports Law, LOV is the organization responsible for preparing individual athletes for the Olympic Games, Youth Olympiads and other international sports competitions. The new procedure provides that the athlete’s employment contract is concluded with the Latvian Olympic team precisely for the performance of the function specified in the law. MES will allocate the allocated budget funds according to LOV senders and criteria approved by MES for determining one unit.
Minister of Education and Science Anda Čakša (JV) believes that the distribution of the sports budget for 2024 is an example of responsible behavior with state budget funds, so that athletes receive more money. The minister is pleased that an opportunity has been found to significantly increase support for folk and youth sports, which are said to be the basis of a healthy society. At the same time, the role of sports federations in the effective and transparent management of state budget funds is being strengthened, says Čakša.
Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (JV) believes that, by adopting the new decisions, the commitment of the government’s declaration to create a sports financing model, which provides wider opportunities for children and young people, as well as ensures the support of priority sports federations, is fulfilled. It is also planned to support high-achieving sports, including the Olympic and Paralympic movements.
The Minister of Welfare Uldis Augulis (ZZS) believes that the new sports financing model arranges working relations with Latvia’s best athletes, moving from receiving benefits to concluding an employment contract, thus guaranteeing the athlete’s social protection and the rights stipulated in the Labor Law. “Sportsmen finally come out of the “zone of social vulnerability” and become full members of the state social protection system,” said the minister.
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