During the controversial European Games held in Azerbaijan, Baku supports only its own sportsmen, whereas foreign sportsmen are continuously subordinated. Even Lady Gaga is continuously criticized, the German newspaper Die Welt reports.

[Armenian wrestler] Roman Amoyan knew his task very well. If he had won Elmar Mukhtarov, he would certainly have the bronze in the European Games held in Azerbaijani capital Baku. Nevertheless, the next adversary – the large audience in Heydar Aliyev Sports Complex - was waiting for Amoyan. 

The fans excited by the sports struggle in Azerbaijan negatively impacted Greco-Roman wrestler Amoyan (59 kg) by their expressions of protest. The spectators didn’t settle down even when Amoyan got an injury and the fight had to be stopped. Armenian blood was shed on the Azeri land, one newspaper writes spitefully.

When Thomas Bach, President of International Olympic Committee (IOC), spoke on sports as a force uniting nations, pointing out that during the European Games Armenians will be seen together with Azeris despite the decade-long Karabakh conflict, he was silent on one issue: Azerbaijani spectators will have no sympathy for the 25-member delegation of the neighbor country. 

Armenians do not leave Athletes Village

Even during the magnificent and extremely warm opening ceremony the foreign guests at [Azerbaijan’s] National Stadium could notice exclamations of certain discontent addressed to the Armenian delegation.  

“It’s not an easy thing to show high-level sports under such conditions. For security reasons we left the Athletes Village only for trainings and competitions,” Karen Giloyan from Armenian Delegation says.

Of course, Giloyan also speaks of the improvement of relations: “The two countries are approaching each other by small steps. However, time has not yet become ‘ripe’ for honest relations in sports.”