With the 30th Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships to launch June 13, hosting Baku was quick to dictate terms to participants: at the championship organizers' request, Belarusian team cancelled their routines to Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian's music.

As the head coach Irina Leparskaya told a June 1 news conference in Minsk, after performing to Khachaturian’s Saber Dance for half a year, the team is under time pressure to learn another routine to different music, risking their success at the Championships. “There’s equal share of censure and criticism that Baku deserves here,” she said.

The interesting part, however, is comments – none in over 90 justified “the organizers’ demand.” A few of those are cited below:

“We could follow Baku’s suit in banning Beethoven or Bach’s music, Goethe or Heine’s poetry – we warred with Fascists, after all. Seems like the organizers have los their minds and Belarusians were overruled by lunatic clowns.”

“The recent case proves even sport is about politics. Aliyev is not alone: Mussolini and Hitler would be sympathetic of him.”

“Khachaturian wrote his music for the whole world and every person in it, including Azeris. Baku, who doesn’t stop at vilifying an artist, celebrated worldwide, has no appreciation for music or culture. You’ll soon be forgotten, yet Khachaturian’s music will always be part of a history.”

“The Championship must be disqualified for such a “request”.”

“I suggest Azeris refuse the use of MiG-25 and MiG-29 aircrafts - think of who the General Designer was.”

One can't help but agree: petrol-blinded Azeris found yet another chance of making themselves a laughing stock in the eyes of the world. Half a floor at a major Broadway music store in New York is allotted to Khachaturian's music. Have Azeri foreign ministry officials ever been at the store?

Sabre Dance from Gayane ballet brought the composer worldwide recognition, with Khachaturian christened as Mister Sabre Dance in the U.S. and England.