The 26-year-old athlete, Mikael Mikaelian, competed in the annual Tour de Ski event that took place from December 28 to January 4. Like other participants, he was handed a race bib bearing the word “Azerbaijan” in line with a sponsorship deal signed by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) with the Azerbaijani government last year. He covered the inscription with a white tape and was fined by the organizers as a result.
Mikaelian received an outpouring of support on social media and the full backing of Sargsian, who said the federation is ready to pay the fine. By contrast, the Armenian government indicated its disapproval of the skier’s behavior, with the minister of education, culture and sports, Zhanna Andreasian, saying on January 7 that “sport must be about sport.”
One of Andreasian’s deputies sent a letter to Sargsian demanding an “explanation” for Mikaelian’s refusal to display the word Azerbaijan on his chest. The skier’s action is “more than clear” and “needs no explanation,” the Ski Federation chief wrote in a terse reply.
Italy - Armenian cross-country skier Mikael Mikaelian competes in a Tour de Ski event.
Mikaelian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service last week that he cannot promote a “country that is aggressively disposed towards my homeland.” Critics of the government link its stance on the Tour de Ski incident with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s reluctance to anger Azerbaijan as part of his broader appeasement policy towards Armenia’s arch-foe.
Sargsian announced his resignation in a video message posted online on Tuesday. He said he may be the reason why the government is reluctant to support skiing in Armenia with funding and other assistance.
Speaking to RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Wednesday, Sargsian insisted that he faced no government pressure to step down.
“It’s just that the recent events were the final straw,” he said, referring to the incident involving Mikaelian.
Sargsian criticized the lack of governing funding for the winter sport even before the incident. He said on Wednesday that Andreasian’s ministry has still not given his federation any grants this winter.
“We already have sporting events and our participation in international competitions cancelled as a result,” he said.
The federation’s budget last year was worth just over 13 million drams ($34,000). According to Sargsian, most of that money was raised from foreign sources.