Jānis Liepiņš, the Vice President of the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOK), has called attention to the potential challenges posed by the new Sports Law, which may impose extensive responsibilities on municipalities without providing a clear funding framework. While he appreciates the government's initiative to establish a new regulation aimed at modernizing the governance of the sports sector—taking a step forward from the outdated law that has been in place for over two decades—Liepiņš emphasizes that the legislation falls short in offering clear solutions for funding the maintenance of sports facilities.

Under the proposed regulatory changes, the existing funding and management model will transform, as LOK will no longer allocate state budget funds to the sector. Instead, a model based on direct state support and the responsibilities of local municipalities will be introduced. Liepiņš alerts that if appropriate funding is not secured and the capacities of municipalities are not taken into account, they could bear the heaviest burden when implementing this new system. He points out that this might lead to insufficient support for the development and maintenance of local sports institutions.

The new law requires municipalities to co-fund sports schools, maintain, and develop sports infrastructure, and support various sports activities. Without a well-defined funding plan, local governments might struggle to meet these new demands, potentially jeopardizing the future of community sports programs and facilities. This situation highlights the need for a comprehensive funding strategy that aligns with the responsibilities assigned to municipalities, ensuring that local authorities are adequately equipped to manage their new obligations in promoting sports and physical activity.