Turkey refused to finance a prestigious sailing race because of France’s decision to approve the bill criminalizing the denial of genocides, including the Armenian Genocide.

The Europa Race was scheduled to start in Istanbul on May 5 and end in La Rochelle in France on June 3, Hurriyet Daily News writes.

Gaetan Gouerou, an executive board member of the International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA), told the newspaper he was shocked by the decision.

According to him, the boats were ready for the race but the event had lost its major financial resource, therefore they would consider an alternative race.

In late January, the French Senate passed the bill that criminalizes the denial of genocides, including the Armenian Genocide, and this caused a huge protest in Turkey. The bill is currently examined by the French Constitutional Council.