The International Olympic Committee (IOC) apologized to Azerbaijan for the statements of the French commentator

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has apologized to Azerbaijan for the statements made by the leading French TV channel “France 2” during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, the official response of the IOC to the letter of protest from the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan and the National Olympic Committee reads.

It should be recalled that at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, a correspondent of the French TV channel “France 2” expressed discriminatory expressions against Azerbaijan. In particular, he called Armenia a friendly country for France, noting that this year was remembered by the Armenian people for the "fall of Nagorno-Karabakh" under the onslaught of the Azerbaijani army.

"This is a de facto violation of the basic principles of the Olympic Charter. The Charter clearly states that "the IOC's mission is to promote Olympism worldwide, lead the Olympic Movement, and resist any political or commercial exploitation of sports and athletes," the  protest of the Azerbaijani side said.

In a reply letter, the IOC apologized to Azerbaijan, noting that such statements contradict the principles and values of the IOC. The letter also says that this issue has been discussed by responsible institutions and individuals in order to avoid similar situations in the future.