Sports · Football · 10 hrs ago
Riga FC cancels Latvian derby hours before kickoff over refereeing concerns
Riga FC called off its derby against RFS just hours before kickoff, saying it would not play.
The Latvian club said it had experienced a serious refereeing crisis throughout the season and accused the national football federation of failing to act.
Riga FC said playing would mean accepting what it called unfairness that was damaging Latvian football.
The cancellation came in the final round of the Latvian league, but the result would not have changed the title race: RFS had already secured the championship, six points ahead of its rival.
The federation is considering the case, and Riga FC is likely to be given a regulatory loss for refusing to play.
Riga FC is scheduled to face Auda in the cup final on November 20 and also has Conference League matches against Kauno Zalgiris, Atalanta and Borac.
Riga FC refused to play its Latvian league derby against RFS, cancelling the match hours before kickoff.
The club said it acted in protest over what it called systematic refereeing failures and a deep crisis of sporting integrity.
The cancellation came during the competition’s final round, with RFS already assured of the title.
The Latvian Football Federation is considering the case, and Riga FC could be awarded a regulatory defeat for refusing to play.
Riga FC is scheduled to play Auda in the cup final on 20 November and has Conference League matches ahead.
- Who
- Riga FC refused to play RFS.
- What
- The Latvian derby was cancelled hours before kickoff after Riga FC said it was protesting refereeing failures.
- When
- Saturday, during the final round of the Latvian league. The exact date is not stated.
- Where
- Latvia. The match was a derby between Riga FC and RFS.
- Why
- Riga FC said refereeing failures had affected the competition and that the football federation was unwilling to act.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Riga FC announced it would not play the derby against RFS.
The derby was not played, while RFS had already secured the title.
The Latvian Football Federation began considering the case.
Riga FC is scheduled to play Auda in the cup final.
- Teams
- Riga FC and RFS
- Competition
- Latvian league
- RFS’s title margin
- Six points over its rival
- Cup final
- Riga FC vs Auda, scheduled for 20 November
- Federation action
- The Latvian Football Federation is considering the case
What people are saying
We have made the very difficult, but deliberate and principled decision not to play.
Everyone who follows Latvian football has been able to see how serious and systematic refereeing failures have affected the competition.
If we had stayed silent, that would mean accepting this injustice and legitimising processes that undermine Latvian football.