Civilnet
By Elen Muradyan
An action by Armenian cross-country skier Mikael Mikaelyan during the Tour de Ski has prompted Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency to formally appeal to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).
Mikaelyan was fined by the FIS after covering the word “Azerbaijan” on his competition bib with adhesive tape during the event in Italy. The Tour de Ski ran from Dec. 28, 2025 to Jan. 4, 2026 as part of the season’s FIS Cross-Country Ski World Cup.
In its statement, Azerbaijan’s tourism agency said it had officially contacted FIS to express dissatisfaction and to stress the need for stronger oversight within cooperation frameworks. It said incidents of this kind are handled under FIS rules and procedures, with sanctions applied depending on repetition. The agency added that athletes should adhere to sporting and ethical principles, arguing that sport must remain depoliticized and free from ethnic hatred, racism and xenophobia.
Armenia’s Ski Federation said it had responded to an inquiry from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia regarding the incident. Speaking on Jan. 7, Armenia’s education and sports minister Zhanna Andreasyan said sport should focus on fair play and strict observance of competition rules.
The federation’s president later published both the ministry’s inquiry and the response on social media, noting that Tour de Ski is a World Cup stage and arguing that the covered inscription appeared on the race number rather than the jersey. The federation said the athlete’s action was self-explanatory and required no further clarification.
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