Riga FC has refused to take the field for the final match of the Latvian Higher League season against RFS, bypassing Sunday’s concluding domestic fixture in protest over persistent refereeing injustices and a lack of sporting consequence.
A Season Compromised by Officiating Errors
Management explained in an official statement that the fixture held no competitive meaning because RFS had already secured the championship title. According to Rus.tvnet.lv, the club pointed to widespread systemic issues throughout the campaign, concluding that it could not in good conscience participate in a tournament compromised by officiating errors.
“We have made an extremely difficult, but conscious and principled decision: our team will not take the field for the final match of the championship against RFS,” Riga FC said.
Direct Accusations Directed at the LFF
Club officials directed severe criticism toward the Latvian Football Federation, known as LFF, accusing the governing body of ignoring ethical breaches and failures in fair play. The club argued that these oversights severely damaged the integrity of the domestic competition.
Disrupted Schedule Follows Systematic Refereeing Errors in Latvia
“Throughout the year, everyone who followed the Latvian football championship witnessed how systematic and gross refereeing errors directly influenced the distribution of places in the standings, undermining the foundations of fair competition,” the club stated, adding that the federation showed no willingness to address violations of ethical norms.
The fixture at Riga’s home ground was scheduled as the curtain-closer for the Latvian Higher League season. With RFS entering the weekend already confirmed as league champions, Sunday’s match carried no weight regarding the championship trophy.
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