No:210/23, Commentary on the burning of the Azerbaijani flag during the European Weightlifting Championships in Armenia
15 April 2023 11:13
On 14 April, the Azerbaijani flag was burned at the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championships held in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.
We strongly condemn this act, which is a manifestation of the deep-rooted hatred against Azerbaijan on ethnic grounds in Armenia.
The Government of Armenia, as the side organizing the event, should have prevented such incidents in a timely manner and taken appropriate security measures. Although the person who committed this act was initially detained, his subsequent release with pompous applause raises serious concern. The Armenian side must immediately bring to responsibility the person who committed this hate-motivated crime.
We call on the International Weightlifting Federation, the International Olympic Committee and other relevant international bodies to strongly condemn this act, which is a gross violation of the rules of conduct adopted for sports competitions, and to take appropriate punitive measures against the organizers within the framework of the rules.