Georgian athletes forbidden to participate in tournament to be held in Nagorno-Karabakh- EXCLUSIVE

Georgian athletes of Armenian origin were prohibited to participate at the opening ceremony and tournament of the 7th Pan-Armenian Games to be held in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, Georgian bureau of Report informs citing the Samtskhe Javakheti Media Center.

Nearly 50 athletes from Akhalkalaki region will participate only in the competitions of Pan-Armenian Games to be held in Armenia. 7 athletes, who will take part in arm wrestling and chess competitions to be organized in the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic", were removed from the team.

Valeri Stelmashov, Head of Education, Cultural, Sport, Tourism and Youth Affairs Department of the Akhalkalaki Municipality said that athletes will only take part in the competitions to be held in Armenia: "For some reasons, we can’t attend the opening ceremony."