ARMENIAN SPORTSMEN FROM OTHER COUNTRIES WIN 2 GOLD MEDALS IN BEIJING

Noyan Tapan

Au g 27, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Two sportsmen of Armenian origin who
represented other countries in Beijing: Artur Ayvazian (shooting), who
was born in Yerevan and represented Ukraine at the Beijing Olympics,
and Byurakn Hakhverdian, a female water polo player, whose family had
moved from Iran to the Netherlands – have won gold medals. Greco-Roman
wrestlers Armen Vardanian (Ukraine) and Ara Abrahamian (Sweden),
both are former residents of the Armenian city of Gyumri, have won
bronze medals. However, 33-year-old Ara Abrahamian refused to take
his medal in protest to a judge’s decision, due to which the IOC
disqualified him. The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne
justified A. Abrahamian who appealed against the biased judging.