Head of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Mkhitar Hayrapetyan has addressed a letter to FIDE, demanding an explanation as to why member of Armenia’s national team Maria Gevorgyan was removed from the international tournament in Turkey.
He has held a meeting with Ms. Gevorgyan and showed her the letter he sent to FIDE.
Maria Gevorgyan was invited to Sivas Buruciye tournament, but a few days ahead of the kick-off one of the organizers, Mustafa Eroglu, told Gevorgyan that Azerbaijani players refused to compete in the same tournament with Gevorgyan, an Armenian. The tournament organizers were supposed to cover her travel expenses, but they withdrew the invitation, so Gevorgyan could not take part in the competition.
“Once again we face the highly reprehensible issue of racism and Armenophobia in sports. The chess tournament is held in the third country, Turkey, not Azerbaijan. In fact, the Azerbaijani side pressured Turkey, being guided by racist rhetoric.
I request that the International Chess Federation examines the situation and provides answers. Statements condemning this action cannot restore the Armenian player’s participation in the tournament or undo the impact on the player’s mental state, but they can help prevent displays of racism and xenophobia in the future,” Hayrapetyan wrote in the letter.
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