Azerbaijan undecided as to participation in Greco-Roman wrestling championship in Yerevan

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azeri Greco-Roman wrestling team will not participate in World Cup due in Yerevan on February 12-14. Also, women wrestlers will not participate in a tournament due in China, azerisport.com reported.



"The reason behind our refusal is that our sportsmen wish to get better training for European championship due in Baku," Azeri Wrestling Federation vice president Namik Aliyev reported.



According to him, the refusal to participate in Yerevan's World Cup and China's tournament will not affect preparations for championship in Baku.



Yet as Day.az website reported, the resolution on non- participation in World Cup is not final. "International Wrestling Federation recommends us to participate. Negotiations on the subject are in progress. Final decision will be taken next week," Namik Aliyev stated.



As World Cup press coordinator Eduard Kalantaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, the official reply will most probably be given on Monday. "In case of refusal to participate, Azeri team will be replaced by that of either Sweden or Uzbekistan," he said.



Earlier, Armenian Greco-Roman Wrestling Federation Secretary General Bazmaser Arakelyan stated, "The reply will decide Armenian team's participation in European Championship due in Azerbaijan in April."



"Naturally, we don't mind Armenian team's participation in European Championship. World Championship in Baku has already hosted Armenian team, which is welcome to another championship, should they wish to participate," Day.az quoted Namik Aliyev as saying.