Azerbaijan Protests Discriminatory Comments by French State Television During Olympic Opening

The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan and the National Olympic Committee have formally protested to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) following discriminatory comments made by a French state television correspondent during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Paris.

The protest letter indicates that on July 26, during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, a correspondent from France2 made discriminatory remarks during the parade of Azerbaijani and Armenian athletes. According to the letter, the reporter accused Azerbaijan of initiating clashes with Armenia, referred to Armenia as a friend of France, and remarked that this year has been significant for Armenians due to the “fall of Nagorno-Karabakh” to the Azerbaijani army.

The letter further argues that such comments not only contradict the spirit of the Games but also undermine peace efforts between Azerbaijan and Armenia. It urges the IOC to take a strong stance against the politicization of sports, issue a public statement, and protest to the French Government, the French National Olympic and Sports Committee, and the television channel in question.

“This incident is a clear violation of the Fundamental Principles of the Olympic Charter, which have been recognized and supported by several United Nations General Assembly resolutions,” the letter concludes. “The Charter states that the mission of the IOC is to promote Olympism worldwide, lead the Olympic Movement, and oppose any political or commercial exploitation of sport and athletes.”

Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Rahman Mustafayev, also condemned the comments, highlighting that France’s actions disrespect the legacy of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games.

“It was Pierre de Coubertin’s dream that sport would silence politics and the conflicts it generates while the Olympic flame shines. But French national television seems not to have heard the call of the inventor of the modern Games,” Mustafayev tweeted.

The Western Azerbaijan Community, representing Azerbaijanis displaced from modern-day Armenia, echoed these sentiments, labeling the remarks by the France2 correspondent as a violation of Olympic values and international law, as well as a deliberate effort to undermine Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and escalate regional tensions.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly cautioned France against destabilizing the South Caucasus by hindering mutual confidence-building measures and peace efforts between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Baku has criticized France’s arms supplies to Armenia and support for Armenian revanchists.

Historically, France’s role as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group during the Karabakh conflict has been perceived as unproductive by Azerbaijan. Baku recalls France’s indifference to the plight of one million internally displaced Azerbaijanis from the country's Karabakh region and Azerbaijani refugees from modern-day Armenia for 30 years and its activities questioning Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Since 2022, the French Senate has adopted resolutions calling for sanctions against Azerbaijan, accusing it of “aggression and ethnic cleansing” against the Armenian residents of the Karabakh region.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia launched a full-scale military campaign against Azerbaijan, leading to a prolonged and deadly conflict. The war, which ended with a ceasefire in 1994, resulted in Armenia occupying 20% of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territories. This occupation caused the deaths of over 30,000 Azerbaijanis and the displacement of one million others due to an ethnic cleansing campaign carried out by Armenia.

On September 27, 2020, tensions escalated when Armenian forces stationed in the occupied Azerbaijani lands shelled Azerbaijani military positions and civilian settlements. In a 44-day counteroffensive, Azerbaijani forces liberated approximately 300 settlements, including the cities of Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Zangilan, Gubadli, and Shusha. The conflict concluded with a tripartite agreement signed on November 10, 2020, by Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia. Under this agreement, Armenia also returned the occupied districts of Aghdam, Kalbajar, and Lachin to Azerbaijan.

In September 2023, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched a one-day local anti-terror operation to remove illegal Armenian armed formations and their military infrastructure in the Karabakh region in response to their escalating armed provocations and attacks on Azerbaijani positions. This decision came after fatalities caused by mine incidents in the Khojavand district, resulting in casualties among Azerbaijani law enforcement and civilian workers. Azerbaijani troops stationed in the Aghdam district also suffered injuries due to the presence of illegal Armenian armed formations in Azerbaijani territories. Between September 19 and 20, the Azerbaijani forces neutralized the separatists’ military positions, forcing them to disband and leave the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan.

Despite Baku’s extensive dialogue efforts and immediate measures to support their stay and integration, the Armenian residents of the Karabakh region chose to voluntarily leave the region.