Olympian and Husband Accuse Lithuanian Volleyball Federation of Mismanaging Funds

An Olympian and her husband have publicly criticized the Lithuanian Volleyball Federation (LTF) over alleged financial mismanagement and a lack of support for beach volleyball. Martynas Paulikas, husband of Olympian Monika Paulikienė and head of the "Beach Volleyball Academy" member organization, stated it's time to reveal how the LTF distributes funds, leaving beach volleyball teams with almost no financing. Paulikas himself ran for LTF president in 2025 but lost to incumbent Darius Čerkas, who secured 12 votes to Paulikas's 9.

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It's time to openly talk about how the Lithuanian Volleyball Federation distributes funds and why beach volleyball teams are left with almost no financing.

Paulikienė expressed deep disappointment with the LTF's actions and decisions, citing serious doubts about objectivity. She emphasized that high-performance athletes expect transparent and fair processes, not privileges. "We invest our time, health, and years of hard work for results. In return, we expect respect, transparent processes, and objective decisions. When these principles are not followed, it harms not only individuals but the entire sport," she stated.

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I want to publicly express my deep disappointment with the LTF's behavior and decisions. What is happening lately raises serious doubts about objectivity.

Paulikas raised significant questions about the LTF's finances, particularly the unreleased 2026 budget. He noted that the federation planned to collect approximately 880,000 euros in revenue against projected expenses of about 1.015 million euros for the current year. "How can one go with a 'minus' plan to the conference and submit such a budget for approval?" he questioned, adding that most LTF members found ending the year with a 135,000 euro debt acceptable.

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High-performance athletes expect not privileges, but transparent and objective decisions from the federation.

Further concerns were raised regarding the drastic reduction in beach volleyball funding compared to indoor volleyball. Paulikas pointed out that beach volleyball funding was halved compared to the previous two years. While official budgets for 2024 and 2025 allocated around 213,500 and 274,000 euros respectively for beach volleyball, he feels the LTF is not investing in a discipline that yields clear returns, despite state funding often being tied to international high-performance results in beach volleyball.

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We invest our time, health, and many years of hard work to achieve results. In return, we expect respect, transparent processes, and objective decisions. When these principles are not followed, it harms not only individuals but the entire sport.