ISU allows music but bans “Artsakh” name at Olympics

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian figure skaters Karina Akopova and Nikita Rakhmanin will perform their short program to the tune of “Artsakh” by Ara Gevorgyan during the Winter Olympic Games in Milan, despite objections from Baku. However, due to a ruling by the International Skating Union (ISU), the name “Artsakh” will not be mentioned, and only the composer’s name will be cited.

As reported by The Guardian, the ISU and the Olympic Committee intervened to resolve the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which emerged over the music selection.

“The official names of the compositions to be used are listed on the ISU website,” the report said.

Azerbaijan’s National Olympic Committee had filed a protest and expressed strong concern over the pair’s choice to skate to “Artsakh,” labeling it “separatist music,” despite the piece having no lyrics.

Akopova and Rakhmanin are set to perform to “Artsakh” in their short program on February 15.

Previously, Azerbaijan attempted to attribute Ara Gevorgyan’s “Artsakh” composition to Soviet composer Fikret Amirov. In 1998, Gevorgyan officially registered the copyright to his composition with the U.S. Library of Congress. He also produced a documentary titled “Story about Artsakh Music,” detailing the origins of the piece.