European Sambo Federation Prez Reprimands Azerbaijani Athlete for Unsportsmanlike Conduct

14:26, April 1, 2015

Sergey Eliseev, President of the Russian and European Sambo Federation, has publicly reprimanded Azerbaijani athlete Bakhtiyar Abbasov for 'unethical behavior' when he squatted during the playing of the Armenian national anthem at the Moscow World Cup Sambo competition held last weekend.

In his weight class Abbasov came in third to Armenia's Ashot Danielyan.

When Danielyan and the runners up took the podium, Abbasov squatted during the playing of Armenia's national anthem and thus provoked the ire of many, including Eliseev.

While Azerbaijan's Deputy Ambassador to Russia, who attended the event, verbally apologized to Armenian Sambo Federation President Levon Hayrapetyan, the Armenian delegation filed an official complaint to the competition's organizing committee.  Read more... (224 words)

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