Armenia neglects obligations at 2023 European Weightlifting Championships PHOTO

Another Armenian provocation occurred at the 2023 European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan.

Azerbaijani athletes did not have the opportunity to take part in the competitions because Armenia showed its true colours at the opening ceremony of the championships, Report informs citing Oxu.Az.

One of the organisers of the tournament Aram Nikolyan set fire to the Azerbaijani flag.

While we were waiting for confirmation of the participation of Azerbaijani weightlifters in the championships, the Armenian side promised to protect them.

Proceeding from the document received by Oxu.Az, sent by Armenia to Secretary General of the European Weightlifting Federation Milan Mihajlovic and signed by Chief of Staff to Armenian prime minister Arayik Harutyunyan, Azerbaijani athletes should have been protected.

According to the document dated April 10, 2023, the government of the Republic of Armenia reconfirms guarantees of safety for the delegations of all countries in Armenia during the 2023 European Weightlifting Championships. We express our readiness to provide all the special security measures as requested by the Azerbaijani Weightlifting Federation, namely:

Armenia’s representatives will accompany the Azerbaijani delegation from Tbilisi’s airport to Yerevan;

The Azerbaijani delegation will be received at the Yerevan airport and will be provided with entry visas and transfer to the hotel;

The Azerbaijani delegation will stay in the same hotel with other countries’ delegations;

Safe transfer from the hotel to the competition/training venues will be arranged;

Necessary security arrangements will be made for all relevant circumstances.

However, as we and the whole world saw, in fact, Armenia was unable to protect athletes, moreover, it simply could not behave with dignity. The arsonist was announced a "hero", like all previous provocateurs and murderers.

Will Armenia finally come to its senses? Hasn't it realised yet that it needs peace in the region most of all?