Government Stops Funding for Aronian and Sargsyan's Chess Schools

The government has halted the state funding for the chess schools of Levon Aronian and Gabriel Sargsyan, though it would have been preferable to maintain it. This was stated by the Vice President of the Armenian Chess Federation, Smbat Lputyan, following the opening ceremony of the 75th Men's and 74th Women's Chess Championships of Armenia at the Tigran Petrosian Chess House in Yerevan.

When asked by a journalist whether the state funding for the Levon Aronian and Gabriel Sargsyan chess schools in Yerevan has truly been stopped and on what grounds, Smbat Lputyan responded: “That question should not be directed to me. It is the government that makes decisions. Yes, the state funding for that school has been halted, but training and classes are continuing. These institutions are very important for Armenian chess, and we are awaiting external funding sources to continue our work. Many of our talented students come from these schools and show outstanding results. The government is aware of this issue, and I believe there will be some decision regarding the funding of sports schools. It would be preferable for the schools to remain.”