Daugavpils City Council has unilaterally terminated its cooperation agreement with the association “Futbola centrs Daugavpils”, which also includes Virslīga club BFC Daugavpils, according to a decision taken at an extraordinary council meeting on 10 April. In its statement, the municipality said the move was made to prevent further inefficient use of public funds and to act in the interests of Daugavpils Football School – the municipal football academy.
The municipality said the decision was based on audit findings, circumstances outlined in a 11 February 2026 report by Daugavpils Football School, and shortcomings in the management of financial resources. It also stated that some obligations set out in the agreement signed on 18 May 2023 had not been fully met, affecting the implementation of planned activities, including the development process in children’s and youth sport. The council added that the State Police had opened criminal proceedings over possible violations linked to the circulation of financial documents and the use of funds.
The municipality said its priority was to ensure transparent, effective and sustainable development of sport in the city, with particular attention to the interests of children and young people.
Speaking to Sportacentrs news portal, BFC Daugavpils general director Nauris Mackevičs said the club had not been warned that the issue would be considered and had not seen any of the documents cited in support of the decision.
“Even yesterday we discussed further cooperation plans with the leadership of Daugavpils Football School, agreed on many things and how we would work,” Mackevičs said. “Today the agreement has already been broken.”
Mackevičs said the club had not received any audit materials, management reports or official notification about the criminal proceedings mentioned during the council meeting. He was adamant that BFC Daugavpils had fulfilled all of its obligations under the agreement and had submitted all requested documentation.
According to Mackevičs, the cooperation model provided for part of the money to be transferred directly to Daugavpils Football School, while the remainder was used by the club to cover expenses requested by the school. He said those payments included children’s insurance, transport costs for tournament and competition travel, equipment, inventory and a Veo camera, with all paperwork signed by both parties.
He also said the club had repeatedly asked the school over the past three months to use up the remaining funds, either by requesting a transfer or by purchasing necessary items, but had received no answer. “Everything that has been asked of us, we have done,” Mackevičs said, adding that in recent months correspondence between the sides had taken place almost daily and that every document, invoice and explanation had been submitted to the school.
During the extraordinary council meeting, Daugavpils mayor Andrejs Elksniņš referred to losses of around €30,000. Mackevičs said that amount was approximately half of the total contract value between BFC Daugavpils and Daugavpils Football School. He maintained that the payments made by the club had been in line with the estimate approved by both parties at the start of the year and said the club had not been formally informed that the agreement had been terminated.
He also said the club had received no contact from the police, the municipality or the school in relation to the criminal proceedings which, according to the mayor, were opened at the end of March. “No one has asked us to provide testimony or documents,” Mackevičs said.
Mackevičs also rejected criticism aired during the meeting that football in Daugavpils had declined rather than developed under the arrangement. He said BFC Daugavpils had barely been involved in youth football for almost five years after being asked not to interfere, and therefore could not be responsible for any downturn in that area.
He added that the agreement involved four parties: Daugavpils Olympic Centre on infrastructure matters, the municipality on financial commitments, Daugavpils Football School on academy requirements and BFC Daugavpils on its own obligations. He said the club had transferred all children’s licences to the school three years ago and insisted that every point on its side of the agreement had been fulfilled.
Sources:
https://sportacentrs.com/futbols/virsliga/10042026-daugavpils_generaldirektors_gruti_kaut_ko
