August 23, 2016 - 11:23 AMT
Armenia to award silver medalist Arutyunyan like Olympic champion

Greco-Roman wrestler Migran Arutyunyan who won silver at the Rio-hosted Olympic Games will be awarded like an Olympic gold medalist , while the issue of appealing the decision is not yet clear, a spokeswoman for Armenia’s National Olympic Committee president Gagik Tsarukyan said.

Arutyunyan won Armenia’s second silver medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after judges took the biased decision to grant victory to Davor Štefanek of Serbia.

“The international community and prominent media outlets, as well as Armenia’s National Olympic Committee and its president consider Migran an Olympic Champion,” Iveta Tonoyan said.

“According to the decision of the ANOC president, Arutyunyan will be met and awarded like a gold medalist.”

Asked about Armenia’s plans on appealing the judges’ decision, Tonoyan said Tsarukyan is currently abroad, the issue will be discussed once he returns.