The National Olympic Committee of Armenia (NOCA).
The National Olympic Committee of Armenia (NOCA) recently announced the names of the athletes who will represent Armenia at the inaugural European Games in Baku June 12 to 28 despite security concerns that have led some of their teammates to boycott the event.
At a news conference, Secretary General of the NOCA, Hrachya Rostomyan announced that Armenia will take part in the official opening ceremony and that he will carry the flag. “We are going to Baku to show successful performance and every medal will be a victory for us,” said Rostomyan. “Any athlete who has decided to take part in these games is already a hero. We have all the prerequisites to register good results,” the Secretary General added.
Hovhannes Davtyan – judo. Davtyan was born on November 25, 1983 in Gyumri, Armenian SSR. He won third place in the World Judo Championship in 2009, and second place in the 2007 and 2012 European Judo Championships for the 60kg weight category.
The decision to participate in the multi-sport event in Baku was openly challenged by some of Armenia’s leading athletes and coaches, including Greco-Roman wrestling team world champion Artur Aleksanyan and Olympic silver medalist Arsen Julfalakyan, both of whom will not be heading to Baku.
The National Olympic Committee of Armenia decided back in March that Armenian athletes would participate at the summer games. Although Azerbaijan had pledged to ensure the safety and security of the Armenian athletes at the highest level, concerns linger about the event.
Arman Yeremyan – taekwondo. Yeremyan was born on January 29, 1986 in Yerevan, Armenian SSR. He has participated in 77 registered fights and won 47 out of them (61% rate). Yeremyan won the gold medal in the men’s -78 kg division at the 2008 European Taekwondo Champion. In the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he was the flag bearer for Armenia. Yeremyan has been awarded the Master of Sport of Armenia, International Class title.
Azerbaijan continues to face international criticism for human rights violations in the country as it prepares to host the European Olympics.
“No-one should be fooled by the glitz and glamour of the international show Azerbaijan is putting on to portray a squeaky-clean international reputation and attract foreign business,” said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s Director for Europe and Central Asia. “Its authorities are among the most repressive in Europe and would certainly be on the medal winning podium if prizes were on offer for the number of activists and rights defenders behind bars,” he added.
Amnesty International released a report on March 4, 100 days before the opening ceremony in Baku, highlighting the human rights violations related to arbitrary arrests and detentions taking place in Azerbaijan.
Ashot Danielyan – sambo.
Danielyan is from Nagorno-Karabagh. He won the gold medal for his weight category at the World Sambo Championship in Saint Petersburg in 2013.
According to Amnesty International’s findings in the report, titled “Guilty of Defending Rights: Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Defenders and Activists Behind Bars,” more than 90
instances of harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrests and politically motivated charges compiled by journalists, bloggers, activists, and human rights defenders occurred in the country.
The inaugural event, endorsed by the International Olympic Committee and organized by the European Olympic Committees, will feature 6,000 athletes from 50 countries competing in 20 sports.
Hrachik Babayan – shooting.
Born in 1996 in Yerevan, Armenia, Babayan holds two silver medals from the Youth Olympic Games in 2014 in Nanjing, China and the 2014 ISSF World Youth Championship in Granada, Spain in the shooting sport.
The names of Armenian athletes who will be participating are as follows:
Arman Yeremyan – taekwondoHrachik Babayan – shootingTigran Kirakosyan – samboAshot Danielyan – samboSose Balasanyan – samboHovhannes Davtyan – judoDavid Nikoghosyan – judoZhanna Stankevich – judoArtyom Alexanyan – boxingNarek Abgaryan – boxingAram Avagyan – boxingSamvel Barseghyan – boxingHovhannes Bachkov – boxingNikol Arutyunov – boxingGarik Barseghyan – free-style wrestlingDavid Safaryan – free-style wrestlingMusa Murtazaliyev – free-style wrestlingLevan Berianidze – free-style wrestlingGrigor Grigoryan – free-style wrestlingVolodya Frangulyan – free-style wrestlingRoman Amoyan – Greco-Roman wrestlingKarapet Chalyan – Greco-Roman wrestlingMaxim Manukyan – Greco-Roman wrestlingMihran Harutyunyan – Greco-Roman wrestling
