Idman.biz
The pair of Nikita Rakhmanin and Karina Akopova, who will represent Armenia in the figure skating competition at the XXV Winter Olympic Games, which officially opened today, have taken a separatist and provocative step by choosing the music "Artsakh" for the short program.
Idman.Biz reports that the press service of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) has issued a statement on the matter.
It was stated that the Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee is seriously concerned about the use of the music "Artsakh", which has political and separatist content, in the competition program of figure skaters Nikita Rakhmanin and Karina Akopova, who represent Armenia at the XXV Winter Olympic Games.
The Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee has expressed its protest to the International Olympic Committee regarding this step by Armenian athletes.
It was brought to the attention of the IOC officials that the term "Artsakh" reflects the ideological essence of the illegal and separatist policy pursued by Armenia regarding the internationally recognized territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan for many years. In this regard, such a program selection at an international sports event like the Olympic Games, which should remain outside of politics, clearly carries political and ideological meaning and contradicts Olympic values.
It was noted that according to the basic principles of the Olympic Charter, any political, ideological, and separatist propaganda should not be allowed at the Olympic Games. One of the missions of the International Olympic Committee is to keep sports out of politics and to oppose the exploitation of athletes and competitions for political purposes. Such cases harm the spirit of the Olympic Games, sports ethics, and international sports principles, violate the principle of neutrality of the Olympic Movement, and also undermine the environment of peace and mutual trust in the region.
The National Olympic Committee reiterated in its protest that the Olympic Games are one of the symbols of peace, friendship, and mutual respect among peoples, and it is unacceptable to use this platform for political and separatist propaganda purposes.
14:51
The pair of Nikita Rakhmanin and Karina Akopova, who will represent Armenia in the figure skating competition at the XXV Winter Olympic Games, which officially opened today, have taken a separatist and provocative step by choosing the music "Artsakh" for the short program.
Idman.Biz reports that they stated that this program was prepared specifically for Milan-2026 and the selection was made on a personal initiative.
For information, the term "Artsakh" has been used by Armenia as a symbol of separatist policy against the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan.
The National Olympic Committee (NOC) told our website regarding the issue that an official statement will be made soon on this matter.
It should be noted that great strides have been made recently towards peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In this context, in 2026, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan were awarded the "Zayed Award for Human Fraternity." The award was presented at a ceremony held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and was given to them for their initiatives for peace and cooperation between the two countries.
Nevertheless, the selection of separatist and provocative music in the short program by athletes representing Armenia at the XXV Winter Olympic Games contradicts Olympic principles, as well as the ongoing peace talks between the two countries. This step is particularly noteworthy, considering the requirement that political and ideological messages should not be allowed in official sports events.
