Baku protests IOC for permitting Armenian separatist propaganda at Winter Olympics

Azerbaijan has formally protested to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after Armenian pair skaters Nikita Rakhmanin and Karina Akopova performed to a musical piece titled "Artsakh" during their routine at the XXV Winter Olympic Games.

The National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Azerbaijan said the composition carries a political and separatist connotation, Caliber.Az reports.

According to the NOC, the term "Artsakh" reflects the ideological essence of separatist policies that Armenia has pursued for years regarding internationally recognised territories of Azerbaijan.

In its communication to the IOC, Azerbaijan stressed that the choice of such a programme at an international sporting event “intended to remain apolitical” is overtly political and ideologically motivated, contravening the principles of the Olympic Charter.

The NOC underlined that the Olympics prohibit any form of political, ideological, or separatist propaganda, and one of the IOC’s core missions is to keep sport free from political influence.

The Azerbaijani committee added that such incidents damage the spirit of the Olympic Games, undermine sporting ethics, violate the neutrality of the Olympic movement, and weaken the atmosphere of peace and mutual trust in the region.

It reiterated that the Olympics should symbolise peace, friendship, and mutual respect among nations, and using the platform for political purposes is unacceptable.

By Aghakazim Guliyev