Armenia judoka Vardanyan released from Azerbaijan following IJF appeal
Sunday, 9 May 2021
The International Judo Federation (IJF) says it assisted in facilitating the release of Robert Vardanyan, a teenage Armenian judoka taken prisoner by Azerbaijan during the recent Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The 19-year-old was one of three prisoners released by Azerbaijan in recent days.
IJF President Marius Vizer and the Armenian Judo Federation lobbied for Vardanyan's release.
The IJF thanked Azeri President Ilham Aliyev now that Vardanyan is back in Armenia.
"We would like to express our deep gratitude to the President of Azerbaijan, His Excellency Ilham Aliyev and the Azerbaijan judo family," read an IJF statement.