BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 15. Azerbaijani sports media have issued a statement in connection with the burning of the country's flag in Yerevan, Trend reports.
According to the statement, the recent incident is unthinkable.
"We express our outrage due to the burning of the State Flag of Azerbaijan at the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championships on April 14, 2023 in Yerevan. Covering various sporting events both in our country and abroad is an important part of our professional activity," the statement said.
"It’s well known that sports competition means brilliant records and healthy competition. Besides this, sport has another unique feature, which makes it valuable. Sport provides people with a unique opportunity to communicate even when it’s impossible to establish contact by all other means of communication, and, as reflected in the essence of the Olympic Games, is a harbinger of world peace," the statement noted.
Moreover, according to the statement, Azerbaijan regularly hosts major international sporting events.
"We cover all these competitions, including those with the participation of Armenian athletes. Such heinous incidents have never taken place in our country. Creating conditions for the participation of athletes in the competitions to compete and enjoy the true spirit of sports is the main task for the organizers," the statement said.
"We call on the international community to condemn the heinous incident at the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan," added the statement.
On April 14, during the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championship in Yerevan, a provocation was committed against Azerbaijan. An Armenian designer and stylist Aram Nikolyan ran onto the stage, took the Azerbaijani flag from the hands of the flag bearer, and burned it in front of everyone.
Previously, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan issued a joint statement saying that a decision had been made to return Azerbaijani athletes from Yerevan.