Armenian wrestlers break Baku boycott with historic win

Armenian athletes competed in Azerbaijan for the first time since 2015. Notably, the country’s anthem was played in the capital for the first time to honour young wrestler Janes Nazaryan, who became a double cadet world champion.

The tense situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan has affected sporting events too. Athletes from both countries have usually avoided competing in tournaments hosted by the ‘enemy’ country, although the host countries have generally promised to implement all necessary safety measures. One notable exception came in 2007, when the Armenian senior wrestling team travelled to Baku for the World Championships, an Olympic qualifying tournament. However, only Greco-Roman wrestler Yuri Patrikeev managed to win a bronze medal and secure an Olympic place.

In 2009, Azerbaijan’s young judo team competed in Yerevan at the European U23 Championships, where Elmar Gasimov won a gold medal. Two years later, Armenia’s boxing team competed in the World Championships, which were also an Olympic qualifying tournament. Armenia then agreed to send a delegation of athletes and officials to compete in the inaugural European Games in Baku in 2015. Armenian Greco-Roman wrestler Mihran Harutyunyan won a silver medal after losing a controversial final to Russia’s Artem Surkov. Shortly afterwards, Armenian chess player Levon Aronian competed in the 2015 World Cup in Baku.

Despite strict safety measures being implemented in all cases, apart from a minor incident involving the boxing team in 2011, athletes competing in Baku or Yerevan have said they were under considerable pressure and felt unable to breathe freely in their rivals’ country.

One notable case was that of Armenian footballer Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who did not play in the 2019 Europa League final. Playing for Arsenal, Mkhitaryan refused to travel to Baku for the final against Chelsea due to safety concerns. Although the Azerbaijani side promised to implement all necessary security measures, the player and the club decided not to take any chances.

The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020 and its aftermath left a deep wound in the hearts of people in both countries. In 2023, an Azerbaijani military operation caused more than 100,000 Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh to flee their homes and seek refuge in Armenia and elsewhere, while Azerbaijan gained full control of the disputed territory. Since then, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been seeking to establish peaceful relations, but the course pursued by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has been widely criticised in Armenia.

Since 2023, both countries have hosted numerous sporting events, but neither has competed in them. In spring 2023, Azerbaijan’s delegation arrived in Yerevan for the 2023 Weightlifting European Championships, but during the opening ceremony, the ceremony’s designer ran onto the stage and burned the Azerbaijani flag. The Azerbaijani delegation immediately left Yerevan, citing concerns about their safety.

They subsequently withdrew from the 2023 SAMBO World Championships, the 2023 IBA Junior World Boxing Championships, the 2025 European Karate Championships, and the 2026 Shooting European Championships, all of which were to be held in Yerevan. Similarly, Armenia did not compete in the 2023 World Taekwondo Championships or the 2023 ISSF World Shooting Championships in Baku, and Levon Aronian declined to participate in the 2023 World Cup event.

Armenia’s participation in the 2026 U17 World Wrestling Championships was in question until the last moment. Initially, Armenian wrestlers were missing from UWW’s published list of entries. Furthermore, Galoust Gregory Torosian, an American wrestler of Armenian descent who won the 2026 US Open and was eligible to represent the USA in Baku, declined the opportunity due to safety concerns. However, just one week before the start of the Championships, the Armenian Wrestling Federation announced its decision to compete.

Armenia competed with a full squad in Greco-Roman wrestling and with six athletes in freestyle wrestling. Their participation was not welcomed in Armenia. Most of the criticism reflected on the Armenian prisoners who were held in Baku after the war. However, the response was mostly positive, particularly after Janes Nazaryan won a gold medal in the 71 kg Greco-Roman category.

During the press conference after the tournament, Gagik Khachatryan, the head coach of the Armenian Greco-Roman wrestling team, mentioned that the team had not faced any safety challenges. Security guards followed the team everywhere.

“They took responsibility for our security everywhere… In any case, there was tension among us. When we looked at people’s faces, they would turn towards us somewhat uncertainly when they saw ‘Armenia’. However, since the competitions were held at the Heydar Aliyev Complex, the security arrangements were similar to those at the Olympic Games. They conducted it in accordance with international standards at a high level,” said Khachatryan.

He also said that there had been concerns before travelling, but that the situation on the ground was completely different. “It was very emotional and inspiring. When Janes won the gold medal and the Armenian national anthem was due to be played, we even thought they might not allow it, but there was no problem at all. The refereeing was fine too. To be honest, there were concerns beforehand, but the situation on the ground was completely different,” he said.

With the new Olympic cycle in full swing, Armenia and Azerbaijan will continue to host major Olympic qualifying events. In October, Baku will host the Judo World Championships, where judokas can earn valuable points towards the Olympic rankings. Armenia will host the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships and the World Weightlifting Championships in 2027, both of which will also play an important role in qualification for LA28. Armenia’s participation in the U17 Wrestling World Championships could encourage other countries to take part in these events in the future.