Sports is among the major tools for the formation of physically and mentally healthy nation and assertion of the national identity.
Successful development of the sports field health care expenses can be reduced, the national economy situation can be improved and competitiveness increased in future. Involvement of children and young persons in sports activities contribute to the decrease of the level of crime among minors and increase of the level of education among young people. By wider involvement of persons with special needs in sports and physical activities it is possible to encourage inclusion of these persons in the society.
The goal of the Latvian national sports policy is the formation of healthy, physically and mentally highly developed personalities.
Sub-goals of the sports policy targeted at achieving the above goal are as follows:
- to provide a possibility to involve in sports activities for everybody (sports for everybody);
- to ensure the responsibility by the state for the mandatory physical education of children and young persons (children and youth sports);
- to ensure support for preparation of talented athletes and teams for starts in the Olympic Games, World Sports competitions, World and European Championships (sports of high achievements);
- to provide the state support for the development of sports for persons with special needs (sports for persons with special needs).
The Ministry of Education and Science is the state administration institution responsible for the area of sports. It develops the unified national policy in sports and draft regulatory acts, implements international cooperation and ensures representation of Latvia in international sports organisations. The Sports Department has been established within the Ministry of Education and Science for the performance of the above tasks.
International cooperation in sports
The Ministry of Education and Science ensures bilateral, multilateral and intergovernmental cooperation in the area of sports. On the level of both ministries and governments the Ministry of Education and Science initiates conclusion of cooperation agreements, thus promoting the development of international cooperation in sports.
The most important cooperation in sports is implemented within the framework of the Council of Europe by coordinating the fulfilment of the obligations provided for in the Anti-doping Convention of the Council of Europe and Additional Protocol to the Anti-doping Convention and the European Convention on Spectators’ Behaviour at Sports Events and, in particular, at football competitions. During the 117th Session of the Committee of Ministers on May 11, 2007 the Resolution CM/Res (2007)8 was adopted providing for the development of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport. Within the framework of the Agreement the arrangement of the international sports policy will be continued by coordinating the activities with the Member States within the framework of the above listed Conventions.
The activities of the European Union are of coordinating and supplementing character in the are of sports. It means that the development of sports as a field is the national responsibility of every Member State. On July 11, 2007 the European Commission adopted the White Paper on Sports, which is a comprehensive initiative in the area of sports by the European Commission. The White Paper on Sports provides strategic guidelines for the development of the sports policy.
On the level of the Nordic and Baltic countries the Member States meet during the round-table discussions of Northern-Baltic countries organised on at least biannual basis and promoting the development of the cooperation policy between neighbouring countries. Successful cooperation between the Baltic States has been established within the framework of the Baltics Sports Council based upon the signed Letter of Intent on cooperation in sports between the Baltic countries.
In the course of coordination of fulfilment of the obligations of the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sports the Ministry of Education and Science participates in the conference of Member States to the Convention and working groups, thus contributing to the development of the uniform anti-doping strategy and implementation worldwide.
