State-owned public service broadcaster Latvijas Televīzija (LTV) reported that five companies in which Tikmers' ex-wife Gita Ducmane and current spouse Inese Celmiņa are current or previous co-owners have been long-term suppliers of the LOK.

In three of these companies, Celmiņa reportedly became co-owner instead of Ducmane after the latter divorced Tikmers, who became LOK President in 2020 having previously served as vice-president from 1992 to 2012 and then secretary general until 2020.

LTV also reported that the wife of former LOK President Vilnius Baltiņš and daughter of former financial director Alda Āboliņš own shares in some of these companies.

Tikmers insisted he has "not committed any violations using my influence while in the position of the President of the Latvian Olympic Committee for the support of some merchants".

"I would like to clarify that my ex-spouse was a co-owner in 5 capital companies, however several years ago the capital shares of 4 companies were sold," the Moscow 1980 Olympics men's coxed four rowing silver medallist said.

"No losses were caused to athletes and federations, no claims were received from other merchants or service recipients.

"Regardless of the information provided, I will ask the LOK Ethics Commission and the LOK auditor to verify the mentioned information."

Tikmers claimed that the reports amounted to "an organised defamation campaign against me and my family using the public space", and insisted he had not received any questions relating to an alleged conflict of interest before last month's LOK General Assembly.

He suggested that his opponents had hoped to organise a "coup" to force his resignation at the General Assembly, but instead turned to a "public smear campaign" after this was unsuccessful.

Tikmers said he could "only express regret" if this had been organised by the LBS.

LBS President Raimonds Vējonis and general secretary Kaspars Tsipruss hit back by insisting "a different opinion from the leadership, as well as its discussion in a group of like-minded people, is a normal practice in a democratic society".

They demanded evidence for suggestions the LBS had influenced "the content of public television", called on the LOK Ethics Commission and administration to investigate Tikmers' public statements and urged the media to "draw attention" to the LOK President's "expressed suspicions, which affect the principles of public television content creation, and to assess their validity within the scope of his competence".

The LOK General Assembly featured an apology from Tikmers to athletes affected by a temporary loss in state funding for participating against competitors from Russia and Belarus.

Latvia has been among the biggest opponents of Russia and Belarus' participation in international sport since the start of the war in Ukraine, boycotting the Association of National Olympic Committees General Assembly in Seoul last year in protest at their attendance and threatening to shun the Paris 2024 Olympics if their athletes are allowed.

Tikmers reiterated the LOK's stance at the General Assembly, but vowed to ensure the right of Latvia's athletes to participate in next year's Olympics.

Latvia has competed as an independent nation at the Olympics from Paris 1924 through to Berlin 1936, and again from Barcelona 1992 onwards after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

After failing to medal at Rio 2016, it earned its fourth Summer Olympics gold at Tokyo 2020 in men's 3x3 basketball.

Latvia has been approached by Sweden to gauge its interest in joining a bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, after a Stockholm-Åre proposal with the Latvian resort of Sigulda lost out to Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy for 2026.