Vasily Utkin: Ararat being shut down, but Qarabag lives

Baku. 6 September. REPORT.AZ/ “This is just a very strange story: An Armenian has stolen money from another Armenian. This is something new for me.” 

Report informs, famous Russian sport commentator Vasily Utkin said commenting on the news regarding the shutting down of the Ararat F.C. founded with the support of Moscow’s Armenian Youth Association.

While speaking on air of the Sport FM radio station, he called the shutting down of the club founded in March of 2017 after 5 months a shame: “It would be possible to play normally with Roman Pavlyuchenko and Marat Izmayilov in the II division. As a result, 20 mln. have gone. You know, they have shamed the word “promise” which is important for many people. This is so ridiculous.”

Vasily Utkin has also expressed his opinion regarding the shutting down of Ararat on his personal Twitter account. Earlier, he faced criticism from the Azerbaijanis after writing “There is a good tradition in the South Caucasus to name a club after an ethnonym of a neighboring country. Qarabag, Ararat…” This time, the commentator posted: “Ararat” is being shut down, but Qarabag lives!”

The Russian commentator also held a survey on his Twitter account regarding the establishment and shutting down of the Ararat F.C. He addressed the following question to his followers: Who looks more ridiculous in regard to the rise and fall of Ararat?” Some 37% of voters chose “Moscow diaspora of the Armenians” option.

Notably, in late August, Ararat’s President Valery Ohanesyan announced that he was leaving the club due to his health problems. Afterwards, Vice-President of Moscow representative Andranik Keropyan stated that 20 million Rubles (approximately 400, 000 AZN) were missing from the club’s budget, and that these funds had been transferred to Valery Ohanesyan’s bank account. Alexander Keropyan said that they had applied to the law enforcement bodies in this regard, and that the club President was in Georgia.

Notably, Ararat became the center of attention due to the transfer of famous football players such as Roman Pavlyuchenko, Yevgeny Aldonin, Alexey Rebko, Marat Izmayilov and Igor Lebednko. Head coach of the club Alexander Grigoryan declared that the club would play its last match with Ryazan in the second division of Russia, and that afterwards, the club would stop its activity.