Officials Clarify Why Armenian Figure Skaters Missed European Championships

Armenian officials and international representatives have issued clarifications following public discussion about why Armenia’s figure skaters failed to compete at the 2026 European Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield.

The Armenian Figure Skating Federation, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, and the British Ambassador to Armenia have all addressed the issue, outlining their respective roles and responsibilities in the visa process.

Federation Says No Formal Requests Were Filed

The President of the Armenian Figure Skating Federation, Melanya Stepanyan, told The Armenian Report that the federation maintains regular cooperation with both the Armenian National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport.

“The federation is in constant and effective cooperation with both the Armenian Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, and consistently receives appropriate responses and support from these bodies,” she said.

Stepanyan said that visa-related matters fall under the responsibility of national federations. She stated that the meeting held at the Armenian National Olympic Committee was focused only on organizational matters related to Olympic participation and did not include any official visa requests.

“The meeting of federation representatives at the Olympic Committee was exclusively related to organizational issues concerning participation in the Olympic Games. No official application regarding visas was submitted to the Olympic Committee,” she said.

According to Stepanyan, the issue of delayed visas was mentioned to the Ministry only during a phone call and without a formal written request.

“The topic of visa delays was raised with the Ministry only during a phone conversation, without an official application. After the delay occurred, the mentioned bodies had no legal or practical ability to intervene in the process,” she stated.

She added that if an official mechanism for intervention had existed, state institutions would have acted in the interest of the national team.

“We are convinced that if there had been any official mechanism or opportunity to intervene, the relevant structures would certainly have used it in the interests of our team,” Stepanyan said.

She also expressed gratitude to Armenian state institutions for their ongoing cooperation and support of the federation.

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport later confirmed that it did not receive an official request from the Armenian Figure Skating Federation for visa assistance related to the European Championship.

Responding to an inquiry from Armenpress, Deputy Minister Hasmik Avagyan explained that the Ministry can intervene in visa matters only after receiving a formal written request from a sports federation.

According to Avagyan, when such requests are submitted, the Ministry reviews them and, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sends mediation requests to diplomatic missions in Armenia. This can include the use of expedited procedures when necessary.

The Ministry also noted that in previous years, including 2023, 2024, and 2025, the Armenian Figure Skating Federation had submitted similar requests, and those cases were handled through official channels.

British Ambassador to Armenia Alexandra Cole also issued a statement after the issue gained attention online. She said she learned about the situation only after the athletes had already canceled their travel.

“I was sorry to learn that Armenian figure skaters were unable to participate in the European Championships held in Sheffield. I can imagine how disappointing this was for the athletes,” Cole said.

She stated that the British Embassy in Yerevan does not handle visa applications or make decisions on visa issuance. However, she noted that in exceptional situations, the embassy can provide guidance on the application process.

“Although the British Embassy in Yerevan is not involved in visa applications or decision-making, in special cases we are ready, within our limits, to provide guidance on the process,” she said.

According to Cole, after the issue became known, the embassy contacted the Armenian Figure Skating Federation and UK Visas and Immigration to clarify what had happened. She said UK authorities informed her that the visas had eventually been issued, though too late for the competition.

The ambassador also encouraged travelers to apply for UK visas as early as possible, noting that standard processing times can take at least 15 working days and longer during busy periods or public holidays.

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