People take down a flag of International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) from national flags of participants in World Ice Hockey Championships in Riga, Latvia. Belarus is expelling the Latvian ambassador and other diplomats of the Baltic country over the incident with the Belarusian state flag when it was replaced by city authorities with a flag used by the Belarusian opposition. In its statement the IIHF has asked the Mayor of Riga Martins Stakis to take down the IIHF flag, as well as the World Championship flag which bears the IIHF name. IIHF is an apolitical sports organization and it does not want to be associated with the political statements which were made by changing the flag of its member.
