Reports by state-owned public service broadcaster Latvijas Televīzija (LTV) have claimed there is growing unrest at Tikmers' Presidency, and suggested the LBS hosted an informal meeting of leading National Federations before last month's General Assembly.

Former Minister of Education and Science Anita Muižniece was discussed as a candidate to replace Tikmers, it has been reported, but opponents opted against seeking an immediate change of power in favour of an Extraordinary Genearl Assembly in a later date.

Personal antipathy and dissatisfaction over a temporary loss in state funding for athletes participating against competitors from Russia and Belarus are reportedly among the sources of discontent at Tikmers' leadership.

Tikmers has acknowledged opponents had hoped to organise a "coup" at the LOK General Assembly, and hinted he could "only express regret" if this had been organised by the LBS.

Vējonis, who was President of Latvia from 2015 to 2019, hit back by accusing Tikmers of spreading "false information".

However, he has insisted he has no interest in seeking the LOK Presidency.

"So that there are no misunderstandings and ambiguities, I want to emphasise that changes are necessary in sports management, but my focus is on the development of Latvian basketball," the LBS President said.

"I plan to complete the projects started in basketball in the next few years, and I want to dispel rumours that I applied to lead LOK."

Tikmers has recently been subject of accusations of a conflict of interest, after LTV revelations that five companies in which his ex-wife Gita Ducmane and current spouse Inese Celmiņa are current or previous co-owners have been long-term suppliers of the LOK.

He has denied influence on the choice of relevant companies, and claimed he is the subject of a "defamation campaign".

However, Vējonis has called on him to step down as LOK President.

"I once again reject the attempt of the president of the Latvian Olympic Committee, Žoržs Tikmers, to link the news about his possible conflict of interest in the public space with the Latvian Basketball Association, and I call on Ž. Tikmers [to] also publicly apologise to LBS and the entire basketball community for expressing an insult," he said.

"I believe that the publicly released information about a possible conflict of interest creates risks for the image of the Olympic movement and sports in general, therefore, according to the practice of democratic countries, the best solution in such a situation would be the resignation of the President of the [LOK].".

Tikmers has previously served as LOK vice-president from 1992 to 2012 and then secretary general until 2020, and has gained a reputation in the Olympic Movement for his strong opposition to Russian and Belarusian participation in sport since the start of the war in Ukraine.