Azerbaijan withdraws athletes from weightlifting championship hosted by Armenia
The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan and the National Olympic Committee released a joint statement condemning the burning of the Azerbaijani flag during the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. An accredited person burned the flag, which was attended by the Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan. The Azerbaijani authorities have stated that this action was approved by the Armenian public and the person who burned the flag was declared a hero.
The statement emphasized that the politicization of sports is unacceptable and urged international sports institutions to strongly condemn this barbaric act. Due to the prevailing atmosphere of hatred and uncertainty in Armenia, where security cannot be ensured, Azerbaijani athletes cannot participate in competitions normally. In light of this, Azerbaijani athletes have been repatriated, and Armenia is required to ensure their safe return.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also denounced the flag burning and demanded immediate punishment for the perpetrator. At the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championships, a person snatched the Azerbaijani flag from the girl carrying it on stage and burned it.
Azerbaijan is participating in the championship with a team of twelve people. The incident has revealed that Armenia is not capable of organizing international sports competitions and ensuring the safety of athletes. The European Weightlifting Federation has been called upon to impose sanctions on Armenia.
