Artsakh athletes to represent Armenia at IMMAF Youth World Championships
GLENDALE, Calif. — Four young athletes from families forcibly displaced from Artsakh will represent Armenia at the 2026 IMMAF Youth World Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, taking place August 16–23, 2026.
The athletes — Karen Arzumanyan, Tigran Gasparyan, Samvel Avetisyan and Erik Hayrapetyan — earned the opportunity to compete for Armenia after achieving top results in their respective age and weight divisions.
Lorik Humanitarian Fund raised $3,600 to fully fund the four athletes at $900 each, helping cover accommodations, participation fees and other costs associated with competing at the international championship.
The four athletes include:
- Karen Arzumanyan, 17, representing Armenia in the 61.2 kg division.
- Tigran Gasparyan, the current Armenian champion among 16–17-year-olds at 52.2 kg.
- Samvel Avetisyan, the current Armenian champion at 48 kg.
- Erik Hayrapetyan, 13, who placed second in Armenia in the 40 kg division.
All four come from families forcibly displaced from Artsakh and have continued their training in Armenia while rebuilding their lives following the September 2023 forced displacement.
The athletes train under Stepan Shahmuradyan, Vice President of the Armenian MMA Federation and a trainer at Shahmuradyan Fight Club. The Armenian MMA Federation, led by President Garegin Aghabalyan, will field Armenia’s youth national team at the championships.
For Lorik Humanitarian Fund, supporting the athletes represents an expansion of its work beyond immediate humanitarian assistance and toward creating long-term opportunities for forcibly displaced Artsakh youth.
“Humanitarian aid cannot only be about responding to immediate needs,” said Shunt Jarchafjian, President of Lorik Humanitarian Fund. “These young athletes have worked hard enough to earn the right to represent Armenia on the world stage. Our role was simply to make sure that the financial cost did not prevent them from getting there.”
With the athletes’ participation now fully funded, Lorik Humanitarian Fund has begun raising funds for its next phase of support: approximately $2,500 in new training equipment for the gym where the athletes train.
The gym also provides free training to children of fallen Armenian servicemen and children affected by the September 2023 Artsakh fuel depot explosion.
Approximately $600 has already been raised toward the equipment, leaving roughly $1,900 needed to complete the project.
“Sending four athletes to Abu Dhabi is something we are proud of, but we also want this support to leave something behind,” Jarchafjian said. “Equipment that stays in the gym can continue creating opportunities for children long after this championship is over.”
The 2026 IMMAF Youth World Championships bring together youth national teams from around the world for international amateur mixed martial arts competition. The Armenian delegation will compete in Abu Dhabi during the August 16–23 championship period.
Lorik Humanitarian Fund has published profiles and videos introducing the four athletes, Armenian MMA Federation leadership and the effort to equip their training gym at LorikHF.org.
