Azerbaijan's Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Olympic Committee have sent an official protest letter to the International Olympic Committee regarding provocative statements against Azerbaijan broadcasted on France2 during the opening of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
"On July 26, during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, a reporter from the French national television channel France2 exhibited discriminatory behavior during the parade of Azerbaijani and Armenian athletes and accused Azerbaijan of clashes with Armenia," the statement reads.
It was noted that the commentator also referred to Armenia as a friend of France and mentioned that this year was memorable for Armenians due to the 'fall of Karabakh to the Azerbaijani army.' It was stressed that this behavior is a violation of the Fundamental Principles of the Olympic Charter.
The statement reads that these principles have been recognized by several UN General Assembly resolutions. The Charter clearly states that the mission of the IOC is to oppose any political or commercial exploitation of sport.
In response to this incident, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the National Olympic Committee sent an official letter of protest to the International Olympic Committee. The letter asserts that the disrespectful attitude of the state television channel towards Azerbaijan constitutes a clear violation of the Olympic Charter.
"Such propaganda contradicts the spirit of the Games and undermines peace efforts between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Therefore, the IOC was urged to take a firm stance against the politicization of sport during the 2024 Olympics in Paris and to issue a public statement addressing the French government, the French National Olympic and Sports Committee, and the television channel," the statement reads.
