Armenia’s motorsport community loses only karting track

Armenian racing drivers have been forced to train abroad after the country’s only karting track was sealed as part of a criminal investigation involving former President Robert Kocharyan and his family.

Sirakan Hambardzumyan, founder of the Armenian Academy of Motorsport, said the track is located at Yerevan’s Play City entertainment centre, which was sealed by authorities in connection with the case against Kocharyan, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

The closure has left Armenian racers without a domestic venue for training, prompting the academy and SH Racing team to appeal to the Investigative Committee, Prosecutor’s Office and Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports.

“We ask that we be allowed, that several hours be allocated to us for training on this track, as there is no alternative to it in Armenia,” Hambardzumyan said.

The academy said access to the facility would allow athletes to continue training while the broader legal proceedings are underway.

Authorities have sealed companies they believe are linked to Kocharyan’s family as part of the investigation. The 72-year-old former president was placed in two-month pre-trial detention at the end of August.

By Vafa Guliyeva