The Armenian Sambo Federation released a statement today, demanding from the International Sambo Federation to punish Azeri athlete Bakhtiyar Abbasov for disrespecting the Armenian national anthem during the World Cup award ceremony in Moscow.
Abbasov demonstratively squatted as the Armenian anthem was playing in honor of Ashot Danielian, an Artsakh-born Armenian fighter, who won the gold at the tournament.
The Federation said it expects an official assessment of the act by the Sambo Federation of Azerbaijan and anticipates an apology.
“Abbasov’s step was not only a violation of sports ethics, but also a demonstration of political, national hatred and hostility, which is unacceptable not only to us, but also the international community,” the statement reads.
President of the European Sambo Federation Sergey Eliseev also slammed Abbasov for his “unsportsmanlike behavior.”
