Latvian Basketball Federation grapples with Russian club contracts and unveils national team roster

The Latvian Basketball Federation (LBS) said it has no authority to intervene in the activities of agent Artūrs Kalnišs, whose agency BSA Basketball is registered in the United Arab Emirates. The agency’s player Neits Meisons recently signed with the Russian club Zenit, and American Shawn Armands joined Avtodor, prompting LBS general secretary Kaspars Cipruss to state, “There is no connection with the federation; we cannot do anything.” The comment follows amendments to Latvia’s sports law after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which prohibit Latvian athletes from playing for Russian and Belarusian clubs.

In a separate announcement, LBS released the candidate list for the men’s national team ahead of the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualification second round. The roster combines experienced players such as Rolands Šulcs and Tomass Talcis with two debutants, and the team will face Croatia and Israel in upcoming qualifiers. Head coach Jānis Gailītis highlighted the squad’s depth and readiness as the federation prepares for the matches scheduled for August and September.