Epress.am News from Armenia
A Facebook group is calling on Football Federation of Armenia President Ruben Hayrapetyan to “return the Ararat team and the Armenian brand to Armenians.”
The approximately 300-member group’s info page reads: “Please take steps… for successor to the legendary Ararat 73, Ararat FC to appear in European competitions, or at least not to disturb that team to become the RA champion on its own.
“We are convinced that neighbor Azerbaijan, that spends millions of dollars for Karabakh FC to secure high places in European championships, aims to similarly present Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] as its territory. Not only are we not counteracting our enemies, but we’re also destroying what we have.
“Mr. Hayrapetyan, please for a moment imagine yourself the triumph of the Armenian community, when Ararat beats Turkey’s Besiktas while being hosted in international matches. Our legendary Ararat , it is owned by Armenians, and that has to be a part of our claim. At this point, it is a secondary issue, who is Ararat’s coach or owner.”