A decision has been made to return Azerbaijani athletes from the European Weightlifting Championship in Yerevan, according to a joint statement of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Olympic Committee.
"We call on the international community, international sports organizations to strongly condemn this barbaric act, and call on the European Weightlifting Federation to impose sanctions against Armenia. We believe that the event shows that Armenia is not able to hold international sports competitions and ensure the safety of athletes," the statement reads.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry condemns the burning of the national flag of Azerbaijan in Yerevan, Spokesperson for Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry Aykhan Hajizada wrote on his Twitter page.
"We condemn burning of national flag of Azerbaijan at the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championship in Armenia. It is worrying that no security measures were taken by organisers against such hate action. Perpetrators should be accordingly punished!" he stressed.
On April 14, 2023, at the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championship in Yerevan, the flag of Azerbaijan was defiantly burned by an officially accredited person. The commission of such a barbaric act at a ceremony attended by the Prime Minister of Armenia, and the applause of the Armenian public, the presentation of the person who committed this act as a hero, are a clear example of ethnic hatred, racism, xenophobia, and Azerbaijanophobia in this country.
