The Azerbaijani Tennis Federation has called on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to punish Russian tennis player Karen Khachanov for his support of Artsakh.
Khachanov, who has Armenian roots, took his chance after some of his wins at the 2023 Australian Open, to express his support for the breakaway state, writing messages on camera such as "Keep believing until the very end. Artsakh, hold on!" and "Artsakh stay strong."
The geopolitical situation surrounding Artsakh is complex and highly contested. The region, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, declared independence in 1991. However, it has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces since the end of a war in 1994. The recent conflict in the region has escalated tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijani Tennis Federation has taken issue with Khachanov's support of Artsakh, and has called on the ITF to take action against him. The Federation argues that Khachanov's statements are in violation of the ITF's Code of Conduct.
"Writing heartfelt wishes on the camera lens is a kind of tradition in tennis but Khachanov abused this, using it in his dirty plans," the letter said, according to reports.
Khachanov, on the other hand, has not yet responded to the Azerbaijani Tennis Federation's call for punishment. His support for Artsakh might be perceived differently by different people, and it is important to note that the ITF's decision will be based on its own policies and regulations. However, he talked about it before, after one of his wins in Melbourne.
"I have Armenian roots. From my father’s side, from my grandfather’s side, even from my mom’s side. I’m half Armenian. I don’t want to go deeper than that and I just wanted to show strength and support to my people."
0 Comments