A very unpleasant incident occurred at the U16 European Boxing Championship in Sarajevo. Azerbaijani athletes refused to be photographed on the podium with Armenian boxers who became champions of the tournament, which was perceived by many as an act of disrespect and unsportsmanlike behavior.
Azerbaijani boxer Aylin Nazarova, who won the bronze medal in the 48 kg weight category, left the podium during the Armenian national anthem in honor of champion Amest Afrikyan (Armenia). Such behavior can be seen as a demonstrative disregard for the opponent's triumph and disrespect for the national symbol of another country.
Another Azerbaijani boxer, Nihat Gasimov, who lost in the final of the 48 kg weight category among boys to Simon Simonyan and became the silver medalist, also expressed his disrespect. During the Armenian anthem, he stood with his back to the winner and was distracted by his phone. In addition, he refused to be photographed with the other medalists on the podium.
Such behavior by Azerbaijani boxers can be characterized as unsportsmanlike and unprofessional. Sport, especially at the international level, involves adherence to ethical standards and respectful attitude towards opponents, regardless of personal or political beliefs. Refusing to participate in the award ceremony and demonstratively ignoring the anthem of the winning country undermines the principles of sportsmanship and mutual respect.
It is important to emphasize that such cases should serve as a lesson for all athletes, and those who engage in such behavior should be fined or disqualified.
Sports events should remain a platform for bringing together people of different nationalities and cultures, not for expressing political or personal disagreements.
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