Armenian Ski Athletes Earned 2026 Olympic Spots Without Government Funding

The president of the Armenian Ski Federation has publicly confirmed that the federation will fully cover a fine issued to national team skier Mikayel Mikayelyan following a World Cup incident in Italy, voicing support for the athlete’s decision to cover the word “Azerbaijan” on his competition uniform.

Gagik Sargsyan, president of the Armenian Ski Federation, said the federation stands behind Mikayelyan and will pay the fine in full once it is officially issued.

“I welcome Mikael Mikayelyan’s action. The federation will pay his fine,” Sargsyan said, according to remarks delivered during a Facebook livestream. He added that the incident reflects broader frustrations within Armenian winter sports over funding and international governance.

Mikayelyan was fined during a World Cup stage held in Italy on Dec. 31 after he used tape to cover the word “Azerbaijan” on his racing suit while entering the start area. Event officials said altering official sponsor markings violates competition regulations, though the athlete was not disqualified and was allowed to continue competing.

Sponsorship dispute and background

The controversy is tied to a multi-year sponsorship agreement announced in May 2025 by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. Under the deal, Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency became a major sponsor, requiring the name “Azerbaijan” to appear on athletes’ uniforms at major events, including World Cup stages and world championships.

Sargsyan said Armenian officials were surprised by the scope of the agreement and objected to the placement of the country name on athletes’ competition clothing.

“At a meeting with the president of the international federation, I stated that writing this on athletes’ shirts is unacceptable,” Sargsyan said, arguing that Azerbaijan has no active skiing infrastructure, clubs or competitive athletes and had only recently become a member of the international federation.

He also recalled raising the issue during the federation’s June congress, where Azerbaijan’s status was upgraded from candidate to full member. According to Sargsyan, he questioned Azerbaijan’s representative about condemning military attacks that damaged civilian and sports infrastructure in Armenia, including ski slopes and a cable car in the resort town of Jermuk.

“The question was simple: do you condemn it or not?” Sargsyan said. He added that the Azerbaijani representative did not directly answer and that the federation’s leadership closed the discussion before a vote, after which Azerbaijan was admitted as a full member.

Olympic funding concerns

Sargsyan linked the uniform protest to longstanding financial challenges facing Armenian winter sports, particularly as athletes prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.

“For years, we have been begging the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports to provide financial support for participation in the Milan-2026 Winter Olympics,” he said, adding that no funding has been allocated despite Mikayelyan having already earned an Olympic quota through international rankings.

He contrasted Armenia’s situation with Azerbaijan, saying the country, despite lacking active athletes in the sport, is hosting World Cup stages and is scheduled to host a world championship.

“We must also learn from the opponent,” Sargsyan said.

Athlete stance

According to Sargsyan, Mikayelyan explained his actions to World Cup officials after the start, saying the tape was meant to express his disagreement with the sponsorship requirement. Sargsyan said officials acknowledged the athlete’s position but noted that the rules had been violated.

Sargsyan added that Mikayelyan does not view the protest as a one-time act and has indicated he may repeat it in future competitions.

“He expressed his stance,” Sargsyan said. “No matter how much they want to fine him, a dignified Armenian remains a dignified Armenian.”

The Armenian Ski Federation said it will handle the fine once the final amount is set by competition officials. The Armenian Report previously reported that the exact sum has not yet been determined.

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