Leonīds Vedējs played competitive ice hockey from 1931-47. He skated at the 1936 Winter Olympics and the World Championships in 1933, 1935, 1938, and 1939, and the European Championships in 1932. Vedējs carried the Latvian flag at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Opening Ceremony in 1936. He played most of his career around Rīga, best known for his time with Universitates Sports (US) Rīga, but he also was with Rīga City for a few years, although he played his final season with Augsburg HC in Germany.
After World War II, Vedējs moved to the United States where he coached local players. He also lived in Rio de Janeiro in the 1980s, also coaching there. He was a big booster of Latvian ice hockey in the 1990s, notably supporting the women’s team financially.
Latvia