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Azerbaijan had withdrawn from the European Weightlifting Championships happening in Armenia, after its flag was set on hearth through the opening ceremony.
(Resul Rehimov / AA)
Azerbaijan’s president and first girl have thanked two Turkish weightlifters for dedicating their medals to the nation through the 2023 European Weightlifting Championships within the Armenian capital Yerevan.
In an official assertion on Sunday, President Ilham Aliyev and first girl Mehriban Aliyeva congratulated Cansu Bektas and Gamze Altun on profitable three gold and one silver medal, respectively.
Aliyev and Aliyeva stated the transfer “confirmed excessive talent, dedication, and can to wave the flag of Türkiye” on the worldwide stage whereas additionally enjoying the Turkish nationwide anthem made “all of the folks of Azerbaijan pleased.”
On the dedication of Bektas and Altun’s victories to Azerbaijan, they stated this “proved as soon as once more that the place Azerbaijan just isn’t, Türkiye all the time represents us and helps our rightful trigger. That is one other manifestation of the unbreakable Azerbaijan-Türkiye brotherhood.”
READ MORE: Türkiye backs Azerbaijan after lethal assault by Armenian forces
As Yerevan can not assure the security of our athletes, the Azerbaijan delegation is not going to compete and is anticipated to return dwelling. Armenia ought to make sure the protected return of our athletes, however now they’re confined to their resort with out entry to media.
— Farid Gayibov (@faridgayibov) April 15, 2023
Flag burning
Through the opening ceremony of the championships in Yerevan on Friday, the Azerbaijan flag was set on hearth.
Designer Aram Nikolyan burned the Azerbaijani flag on stage and took it out of the corridor through the opening ceremony. He was detained and escorted to one in every of Yerevan’s police stations however was freed shortly.
On account of this act, Azerbaijan introduced that it withdrew from the European Weightlifting Championship after the nation’s flag was burned by an formally accredited individual on the opening ceremony of the competitors.
“We name on the worldwide group and worldwide sports activities establishments to strongly condemn this barbaric act. We additionally name on the European Weightlifting Federation to impose sanctions in opposition to Armenia,” stated Farid Gayibov, Azerbaijan’s minister of youth and sports activities, on Twitter.
READ MORE: “Azerbaijan withdraws athletes from weightlifting occasion after flag burning”
Supply: AA