‘For me, dignity and my Homeland come above all’ – Mikael Mikaelyan

Armenian skier Mikael Mikaelyan drew attention after a stage of the prestigious Tour de Ski in Italy. The controversy arose when he was fined for covering the logo of the competition’s official sponsor—Azerbaijan.

In an interview with the RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, the 26‑year‑old athlete said that he received his racing uniform only a few hours before the competition and noticed the country’s name just before heading to the track. According to him, he deliberately refused to compete with that logo visible and covered it, despite the possible consequences.

“I covered the word and started the race. For me, dignity and my Homeland come above all. The jury noticed this after the race. I explained the reason, they said they understood, but according to the International Federation’s rules all sponsors must be visible,” Mikaelyan said.