Armenian-born French wrestler Gagik Snjoyan has abandoned his Olympic dream over safety fears if he competes in the 2024 Paris Games qualifiers in Azerbaijan, reports AFP.
Snjoyan, France’s top wrestler in the 67 kg Greco-Roman category, was scheduled to participate in the European qualifiers in Baku from April 5-7. However, his family’s concerns for his safety dissuaded him from traveling to Baku.
“Any Armenian who enters Azerbaijani territory risks not returning. It’s not me who says it, it’s life which has shown this,” said the 22-year-old, adding, “Honestly, it’s understandable. If you’ve been following the tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan lately, it’s really complicated. No Armenian goes to Azerbaijan and vice versa.”
Born in Yerevan in 2001, Snjoyan began wrestling in Armenia before his family sought asylum in France a decade ago.
Despite being offered increased security by the French Wrestling Federation, Snjoyan said he had been forced to make the “most difficult” decision of his career.”
He said, “I have never been faced with this kind of situation. In my head, things like that don’t happen to me; they happen to others. And when it happens to us, frankly, it’s not easy to cope with,” adding, “On one side we have the family, and on the other side, we have our dream, our sweat that has flowed for decades. I decided to think of my family first.
By renouncing the Baku qualifiers, Snjoyan forfeited his place to French number two Mamadassa Sylla, who won his Olympic ticket by reaching the final on Friday in Baku.
“I didn’t even have the right to show what I was capable of,” said Snjoyan, who also missed the 2023 World Championships due to a shoulder injury.
