On March 12, 2020, an emergency situation was declared in Latvia. Cabinet Regulation No. 624 of 13 October 2020 “Amendments to Cabinet Regulation No. 624 of 9 June 2020 360 'Epidemiological precautions to limit the spread of Covid-19 infection' included restrictions on the activities of sports clubs. Based on Paragraph 5.17.2 of the Cabinet of Ministers Order No. 655 of 6 November 2020 “On the Declaration of an Emergency Situation” (hereinafter - the Order), sports training (classes), including individual attendance, were suspended as of 21 November 2020, indoor operation. The sports clubs were closed from 25 March to 15 May 2020 and from 21 December 2020 until now.
In fact, it also means a ban on Latvian residents from playing sports indoors in a safe environment. A safe environment in sports clubs was ensured on the basis of the safety requirements specified in the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers during the pandemic. Such a prohibition is in conflict with several Latvian and international regulatory enactments and Latvia's obligations, and even violates them.
1. The National Development Plan of Latvia until 2030 (Latvia 2030) envisages and determines the promotion of an active lifestyle, healthy nutrition, physical activities (including folk sports), reproductive health and injury prevention and the implementation of targeted measures in society.
2. The overarching goal of the Public Health Guidelines is to prolong the healthy life years of the Latvian population and to prevent premature death by maintaining, improving and restoring health. The guidelines also envisage measures in the field of promotion of physical activity, thus reducing the spread of risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases (obesity, sedentary lifestyle, etc.) in Latvian society.
3. The Youth Policy Guidelines emphasize that physical activity is one of the most important lifestyle factors and identify a number of important measures to promote physical activity among young people, such as the development of school sports facilities, especially in rural areas. and the problem of leisure time for young people and their parents, thus stimulating young people's interest in sport and improving their physical health.
4. The European Charter for Sport, to which Latvia is a party, aims to give every individual the opportunity to take part in sport, and in particular to ensure that all young people have access to physical education and basic sports skills, and to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to take part in sport. and physical recreation in a safe and healthy environment. The Charter also sets out the obligation, in cooperation with the relevant sports organizations, to ensure that everyone with interests and abilities has the opportunity to improve their performance in sport and to achieve a high level of personal achievement or socially recognized excellence in sport; to protect and develop the moral and ethical basis of sport, the human dignity and security of individuals involved in sport, by ensuring that sport, athletes are not exploited for political, commercial or financial purposes or engaging in abusive or degrading treatment, including drug abuse.
5. The enhanced European Agreement on Sport (EPAS) provides, inter alia, for the development of a sports policy strategy and the setting of appropriate standards that reflect the role of sport in modern society, in cooperation and dialogue with all stakeholders; to promote the development of sport as a means of promoting a healthy lifestyle.
6. Section 3 of the Sports Law sets out the fundamental principles to be observed in the field of sport, including the principle of equality, which provides that everyone has the right to take part in sport; the principle of safety, which provides that sports events and sports training (classes) take place in a safe environment and are organized and managed by qualified sports staff; the principle of good governance, which requires democratic governance structures, clear objectives, fair procedures, openness, cooperation with stakeholders, effective and sustainable regulation, and clear levels of oversight and accountability in the organization and governance of sport.
7. The need to promote sports activities and training activities of the society is further indicated by the documents of international organizations. According to the WHO guidelines, 150 minutes per week is considered sufficient physical activity [1]. The survey data on the physical activity of the Latvian population, according to the latest publicly available survey of habits affecting the health of the Latvian population, show that the majority of the population does not have enough physical activity - only 19.7% of respondents (22.7% of men and women) engage in at least 30 minutes at least 4-6 times a week. 16.7% of women) and 12.2% of respondents every day (14.1% of men and 10.4% of women) [2]. According to a survey conducted by the Market and Public Opinion Research Center SKDS, almost half or 49% of the population have answered that they do not engage in any physical or sports activities at all [3].
8. According to a Eurobarometer survey, 44% of people in Latvia do not engage in physical or sporting activities at all, compared to an average of 39% in the EU. It has also been found that only 28% of the population in Latvia engages in physical or sports activities at least 1-2 times a week, compared to the EU average of 40% [4]. Leisure activities are also mostly inactive - the majority of the population (41.5%) reads and watches TV in their free time. 42.1% of the population spend their free time cycling or walking, but only 16.5% spend their free time on slow running or other physical activities [5].
9. The latest publicly available DNB Latvian Barometer survey found that residents aged 18-74 have acknowledged that one of the most important things for a healthy lifestyle and health is regular physical activity and sport (38% of respondents). However, the answers of the population also allow to conclude that the things that are considered the most important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle are by no means the most common in everyday practice. Only 31% of the surveyed population actually engages in regular physical activity and sports [6].
10. Taking into account the above-mentioned research data and the opinion expressed by the population, it is clear that the population in Latvia engages in too little physical activity. As emphasized in the World Health Organisation's Guidelines for Member States on the Promotion of Physical Activity, one aspect of promoting physical activity is to motivate, educate and inform individuals about physical activity and where to engage in it [7]. The survey conducted in Latvia also shows that regular public campaigns and information about a healthy lifestyle (physical activity, nutrition, etc.) in the media play an important role in educating the public, as 65% of respondents indicate that information on this topic would be sought in the media, and 52% considers that a healthy lifestyle (physical activity, active lifestyle, etc.) needs to be further promoted through the media [8].
About 30% of all deaths in Latvia have been lost prematurely - at the working age. GDP loss from premature death of 6.8% of total GDP. The main causes of premature death are various diseases (cardiovascular, oncological, etc.) as well as external causes of death (injuries, accidents, suicides, etc.).
An indicator such as potentially lost life years (hereinafter - PZMG) is calculated annually. PZMG is the age that a person would have lived to a certain age (for example, up to 64 years) if he or she had not died. It characterizes premature mortality and preventable causes of death and can be used to assess a country's socio-economic loss. PZMGs are calculated for Latvian residents under 64 years of age. This age has been chosen because the working age in Latvia is considered to be 15-64 years. All these PZMGs (assuming that a person will live to 64 years and will not die of other causes) would have lived, worked, paid taxes to the state, created and raised children, and contributed to the state and society as a whole. Although this loss cannot be accurately measured and measured in monetary terms, even a rough estimate using the amount received in national taxes per month on average earnings indicates that with one year of life lost in one year, the state could potentially lose around € 2,072.93 in the future. . Based on the total number of potentially lost years (103025), the state's loss in the future is estimated at around EUR 214 million. The earlier the population dies, the greater the number of years of life potentially lost, the greater the economic loss to the state. The highest PZMG is between 40 and 59 years of age.
A balanced and safe indoor sports solution is being introduced in the public interest, which stipulates that sports clubs operate and that people can engage in indoor sports activities in compliance with all the requirements restricting the spread of the pandemic and hygiene in accordance with the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers.
A healthy and sporty society in a safe environment in a pandemic, lower health care system costs for other physical and emotional health problems related to a sedentary lifestyle. More money for the government and society as a whole to fight the pandemic
[1] Global recommendations on physical activity for health., World Health Organization
[2] Study of habits influencing the health of the Latvian population
[3] Sports habits of the Latvian population
[4] Survey on Sport and Physical Activity, Special Eurobarometer
[5] Study of habits influencing the health of the Latvian population
[6] 6 DNB Latvian Barometer No. 48, Available at: https://www.dnb.lv/sites/default/files/1161.dnb-latvijas-barometrspetijums-nr48.pdf
[7] Steps to health. The European framework to promote physical activity for health. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe
[8] DNB Latvian Barometer No. 48, Available at: https://www.dnb.lv/sites/default/files/1161.dnb-latvijas-barometrspetijums-nr48.pdf
