Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation: 'Armenia must ensure the safe return of our team' - EXCLUSIVE

"Armenia must ensure the safe return of our team," Kanan Mastaliyev, Spokesperson for the Azerbaijan Weightlifting Federation, said in an exclusive statement to Report.

He said that the athletes left the competition after an Armenian vandal set fire to the flag of Azerbaijan during the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championship in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, on April 14.

Due to psychological pressures in Armenia where such an atmosphere of hatred prevails and safety is not ensured, normal participation of Azerbaijani athletes in competitions is impossible, Mastaliyev said.

"Taking all this into account, a decision was made to return Azerbaijani athletes to their homeland. The Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Olympic Committee have a joint statement on this. We are taking steps according to this statement. Our team is returning to Azerbaijan. Armenia must ensure the safe return of our team. Currently, steps are being taken in this direction," he noted.