AFP: Even Armenian athletes from other countries fearful of aggressive crowds during Euro-Games in Baku
The Azerbaijani organizers of the European Games are prepared for anti-Armenian sentiment from the home crowd, they said after the Armenia team was booed at the opening ceremony, according to the Reuters.
The hostile reception continued on Saturday when Armenian athletes were booed at the start of the wrestling competition. "We have spent some time looking at a range of scenarios. I recognise there were some reactions from elements of the public to the marching of certain delegations, positive but also not so positive," Games chief Simon Clegg told reporters when asked whether he was concerned about crowds reacting to Armenian athletes' presence at the Games.
Reuters reports that the Armenian team has sent 25 athletes to the June 12-28 event after the intervention of International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach last year. "Bearing in mind the difficulties between the two countries it demonstrates the power of sport that Armenia is here," Clegg said.
The website of the newspaper Kommersant points to the fearfully strong booing that 'attacked' the Armenian team - that included no athletes – during the opening ceremony of the Games. The spectators stood up from their seats in unison and outstretched hands with the thumbs down. ''That there were mostly Azerbaijani journalists in the press tribune, was understood in no time – they also showed thumbs down not being able to remain indifferent at the sight of the Armenians marching in their stadium with the Armenian flag. And two journalists with the Turkish flags held upward – who were sitting calmly on their seats just a moment before – behaved as their conscience told them, that is, exactly the same way. At that moment there were no Azerbaijani or Turkish journalists there, but only citizens of their countries,'' Kommersant writes.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports that Armenia's 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Greco-Roman wrestler Roman Amoyan left the Baku arena bloodied and with the Azerbaijan crowd booing. The spectators -- who had been called upon earlier in the day by Simon Clegg to put historic disagreements aside -- could not resist rubbing in the humiliation. Although the arena was not filled to capacity the crowd made their feelings clear from the start and booed even when the 31-year-old -- who had been seen as a favorite for gold -- received medical attention for a head wound he suffered when Mukhtarov's chin connected with it. Amoyan -- a three-time world minor medalist and double European champion -- was so disappointed he just hopped on the team bus to return to the athlete's village refusing to impart his feelings.
According to AFP, even those who are of Armenian origin but compete from other delegations are fearful of what awaits them. French wrestler Evrik Nikogosyan told AFP he expected the worst when he competed in the 75kg category of Greco-Roman wrestling. "They will scream at me, that is normal. But I am fearful maybe they will throw things at me. We're not here to insult them, we are just here to compete," said the 29-year-old, whose passport was taken away for several minutes at the airport.
AFP highlights that the decision by the Armenians to compete was a considerable diplomatic coup for European Olympic Committee president Pat Hickey, who labored long and hard to persuade them to come. Clegg, one of British sport's most experienced administrators, said the fact Armenia were at the Games at all was an achievement in itself.
On 12-28 June, Baku is hosting the first European Games under the auspices of the European Olympic Committee. According to media estimates, the Games will cost the Azerbaijani population $10 billion. However, they have become a serious headache for the locals with numerous bans and demolition of property. The preparatory works for the Games are accompanied by crackdowns and brutal repressions against dissent.
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