The Region in Brief

Armenia

An Armenian citizen burned the Azerbaijani flag on stage during the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championship in Yerevan. Designer Aram Nikolyan ran on stage, snatched the Azerbaijani flag from a performer and set it on fire. Azerbaijan withdrew its delegation from the competition following the incident. “It is impossible for Azerbaijani athletes to participate normally in competitions due to psychological pressures in Armenia, where such an atmosphere of hatred prevails and safety is not ensured,” Azerbaijan’s Sports Ministry and National Olympic Committee said in a joint statement. A criminal investigation has been opened against Nikolyan. Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports said that the incident “deserves to be condemned in terms of sports values and universal principles of fair play.”