Azerbaijan Boycotts Weightlifting Championship in Armenia Over Flag Burning
Azerbaijan has withdrawn its athletes from the European Weightlifting Championships in Armenia after a man burned the Azeri flag during the opening ceremony. Azerbaijan condemned the incident as a "barbaric act" and accused Armenia of being unfit to ensure the safety of athletes and host international sporting events. Armenia rejected the criticism, saying the incident had been resolved quickly and without any danger to competitors. The two countries have had hostile relations since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union and have fought two major wars over Nagorno-Karabakh.