Will our wrestlers go to Moscow?

The Armenian wrestlers have got into difficulties. There are fears, that they will not be allowed to participate in the world superiority on wrestling which will take place in Moscow on September 5-13.

If to consider, that our sportsmen have refused participation in the European superiority, which took place in Baku, in order to be prepared better for the world superiority, it looks simply ridiculous. Just now the representatives of Armenia give out the whole truth – they have missed the superiority, considering intense relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. They had doubts whether they would feel themselves unchained and in safety in the neighbouring country.

The vice-president of the Wrestling Federation of Armenia Grant Yenokyan has informed, that the International Wrestling Federation (FILA) can deprive of the Armenian sportsmen of the right of participation in the world superiority. Business now is considered in arbitration court. FILA has sent the message which informs that because of the nonparticipation in the Europe superiority our wrestlers are forbidden to participate in the world superiority. We, having made a reciprocal step, have addressed to FILA for their more softly attitude towards this question. Only after the answer reception it will become clear what situation it is and what is possible to do. According to Yenokyan, there is a hope, that strict measures of punishment will not be applied towards our sportsmen. It is not excluded, that business will end with the penalty. In general, for various infringements the International federation provides various penalties. Also it is not clear yet, what sum is required to our sportsmen for fault expiation.

By the way, in the February superiority of the world cup on the Greek-Roman wrestling, which took place in Yerevan, representatives of the national team of Azerbaijan did not participate, again motivating it with the fact that they wished to be prepared for the world superiority better. There were conversations, that FILA has fined the Wrestling Federation of Azerbaijan for 3000euro for it. Though it is said, that the penalty reaches 150,000 dollar. By the way, Azerbaijan is the main sponsor of FILA and annually allocates to it 5 million dollar. So, Azerbaijani can settle many issues in an internal order, and we cannot compete with them in this plan.

Anyway, now we should solve necessarily the question of participation of sportsmen of the Armenian national team in the world superiority on wrestling. Otherwise, it will turn out, that the competitive stage of 2010 has passed for the Armenian wrestlers aimlessly as they have not participated in two most important events of year – Europe and world superiorities.

We asked the vice-president of the Wrestling Federation of Armenia, whether there can be softening circumstances for our sportsmen that they have not participated in the Europe superiority. It is interesting, whether Armenian Wrestling Federation has already notified that they will not send delegation to Baku. Yenokyan has informed, that no preliminary statements have been made in this occasion. The matter is that the national teams of Armenia on the Greek-Roman wrestling and on wrestling in free style were ready to leave for Baku for the participation in the European superiority, however the situation has developed so, that they have found at the last minute, that it would be inexpedient. And a question appeared, whether this circumstance will prevent worthy performance of our sportsmen in the world superiority. “How cannot it prevent? It was an international tournament, and it gave new European champions of 2010. We have already lagged behind. In Armenia there are only champions of Europe of 2009. For comparison I will tell, that in the world superiority 2009 from Armenia only the wrestler Roman Amoyan (55 kg) became the silver prize-winner, the others remained without medals. And in the following world superiority, taking place in Moscow, I think, we will take part, and after that it will become clear on what we can apply in the Olympic games 2012 ”, -Yenokyan said.