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Azerbaijan pulls weightlifters from Europeans after flag burning

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BAKU: Azerbaijan said Saturday it was withdrawing its athletes from an international weightlifting competition hosted in the capital of rival Armenia after a flag-burning incident.

The two ex-Soviet Caucasus nations are locked in a decades-long dispute over Azerbaijan’s Armenian-majority region of Nagorno-Karabakh. They went to war twice — in the 1990s and most recently in 2020 — over the mountainous breakaway region.

Footage from the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan on Friday showed a man running to the stage, snatching Azerbaijan’s flag from a flag-bearer and setting it on fire.

Azerbaijan’s ministry of youth and sports said in a joint statement with the National Olympic Committee that it decided to bring its athletes home following what it described as a “barbaric act” at the ceremony.

“In conditions when such an atmosphere of hatred prevails in Armenia, security is not ensured, the normal participation of Azerbaijani athletes in competitions is impossible due to the psychological pressure,” the statement said.

“Politicising sport is absolutely unacceptable,” it added, urging the European Weightlifting Federation to impose sanctions on Armenia.

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said it “strongly condemns” the incident and called on Armenia to “immediately bring to justice” the person responsible.

Local media said Armenian police briefly detained the man responsible, designer Aram Nikolyan, and, according to his lawyer, he was released without charges.

Armenia’s ministry of education, science, culture and sports in a statement denied there were any risks for athletes taking part in the competition. “The incident that occurred during the opening ceremony, which was resolved very quickly, has nothing to do with guarantees of safety of the athletes,” it said.

Stifee and Basanti favourites for Splendid Cup

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KARACHI: Either of stable-mates Stifee and Basanti are expected to dominate the Splendid Cup when it takes place in the Gymkhana race meeting at the Karachi Racecourse on Sunday.

The mares look smart in a field of nine horses in the cup race under scale order VII and VIII, being run over four furlongs. They are likely to make amends this time.

Bay horses Daffodles Wave and Desco are touted for the next two places on board respectively. However, if on job, grey horse Flag of Champion, who has come from Lahore, may surprise the pundits in the cup race which is second of a four-race card.

A trio is in contention in the day’s feature event under top scale order I, II and III, to be run over four-and-a-half furlongs. Mare Princess Maria is tipped to get past opponents and win the honours. She is likely to be followed by bay horse Gold Company. Azeem Choice is the third horse in the fourth race.

At the outset, bay horse Money Shower appears to excel in the opening race under scale order VIII, to be run over four furlongs. Money Shower had to be content with second place being edged by Faisal Crown by neck last week.

He may be chased by bay horse Mastana among seven acceptors. However, if tried, bay horse Mandi Choice may trigger upset.

Mare Fiona is on course of a hat-trick should she maintain her form and win the third race under scale order IV, V and VI being run over four furlongs. The race has six starters.

Another mare Zahrish, who too has won her last outing, is expected to pose serious challenge to Fiona. Filly Little Lady will make her debut in the race. The first race starts at 12.30pm.