Saturday’s weightlifting tournament opening ceremony in Armenia saw Azerbaijan’s flag burned. After the championships, Azerbaijani athletes returned home through Georgia.
Azerbaijan’s youth and sports ministry and National Olympic Committee were upset when a video showed a man snatching and burning the flag.
They labeled it a “barbaric act” and evidence of Armenia’s ethnic intolerance and hatred.
Armenia said the issue was resolved swiftly and without harm to European Weightlifting Championships athletes.
Since 1991, the nations have been at odds. They have fought two major wars over Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian mountain territory officially recognized as Azerbaijan. Last week’s combat killed seven soldiers.
The flag incident suspect’s lawyer informed RIA Novosti he was acquitted.
