Latvian officials, including Prime Minister Evika Siliņa and President Edgars Rinkēvičs, have announced that they will not be attending the upcoming Paralympic Games in person. Despite their attendance at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, these officials have decided to forego visiting the Paralympics, which are set to take place from March 6 to 15. Education and Science Minister Dace Melbārde has indicated she plans to attend the closing ceremony of the Paralympics, although she will not be present for the entire event.

The decision not to attend highlights a distinction between the level of engagement with the Olympics and the Paralympics among government officials. While some officials were part of the honored guests at the Olympic ceremonies and engaged with athletes during the Games, this does not extend to the same level of presence for the Paralympic Games this year. Zane Skujiņa-Rubene, a member of Parliament, is leading the Latvian Paralympic delegation, continuing her legacy as the head of the delegation since the 2016 Games.

The upcoming Milan-Cortina Paralympic Games will feature competitions in six sports and runs from March 6 to March 15. The absence of top-ranking officials may raise questions about prioritization and support for differently-abled athletes compared to their able-bodied counterparts. As public attention turns to the events, it will be interesting to observe the impact this absence may have on the morale and visibility of the athletes participating from Latvia.