In a shocking turn of events, FC Valmiera, the 2022 Latvian Higher League champions, have been denied their license for the upcoming 2025 season. The Latvian Football Federation (LFF) cited financial irregularities as the primary reason for the decision, leaving the club’s future hanging in the balance.
Football Law vs national Law: edition “Latvia”
While the initial ruling comes as a significant blow, FC Valmiera does not have to be backing down. Despite being unable to appeal the LFF’s decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the club could use the Latvian Law for its benefit. To exhaust all available options within Latvia. They could challenge the LFF’s decision with the Latvian Sports Federation Association (“LSFP” – Latvijas sporta federāciju padome) and, if necessary, take their case to the justice or the Latvian Administrative Court.
- LFF is a federation that requires a governmental approval to be able to operate in the field of football and claim the “national championship” organiser.
- For this reason, without going into scientifical details, LFF must adopt their licensing decisions in line with the public law requirements of all governmental duties.
- Licensing is not something that can be done or omitted, it is made to be a mandatory rule with a legally binding nature, falls under “public law” which is governed by the jurisdiction given to the adminsitrative courts in Latvia. Though, there is a question whether the courts agree in each case, remains to be seen and requires serious legal evaluation.
Are there substantial arguments for Valmiera
This is not the first time FC Valmiera has faced financial troubles. The club has been plagued by mounting debts and unpaid wages, leading to the departure of their title-winning coach and the loss of lucrative European competition opportunities. However, they managed to overcome these challenges and finish fourth in the league last season.
The license denial raises serious questions about the club’s ability to compete in the top flight. If their appeals are not continued and/or are unsuccessful, FC Valmiera can consider it is relegated to a lower division, jeopardizing their status as one of Latvia’s leading football clubs.
With a theoretical option to play in lower leagues, is is unclear if that is just one tier lower, or a lot lower – with the current debts, and current LFF system, not appealing might simply mean to start at the very regional local village competition.
Conclusion on Valmiera vs LFF matter in long term
The outcome of this legal battle, should Valmiera undertake to continue, will have significant implications for the Latvian football landscape. It remains to be seen whether FC Valmiera wants, and whether it can successfully challenge the LFF’s decision and secure their place in the 2025 Higher League season.