New Scandal in Armenian Football: Urartu's Statement

The general director of Urartu, David Shakhbagyan, has made an official statement, strongly criticizing the refereeing of the match between Urartu and Alashkert that took place during the 22nd round of the Armenian Premier League.

The club publicly expressed its dissatisfaction, demanding the Armenian Football Federation to urgently improve the quality of refereeing and to exhibit equal treatment towards all teams.

“We do not accept the result of the match ‘Urartu’ – ‘Alashkert’ in the 22nd round of the Armenian Premier League, as we consider it unjust and shaped under serious refereeing mistakes. We are compelled to publicly express our dissatisfaction regarding the objectivity and quality of refereeing. Refereeing has remained one of the most problematic and painful links in Armenian football, directly affecting the level, fairness, and trust in the championship. This match has once again proven this; we witnessed unacceptable refereeing quality that disrupted the natural course of the game and the principles of fair competition.

It is unacceptable that the Armenian Football Federation does not demonstrate sufficient consistency regarding the improvement of such refereeing systems. Obvious mistakes remain unpunished, creating a deepening atmosphere of distrust and injustice. Considering that the end of the season is approaching, there are serious grounds to believe that such disgraceful refereeing errors could affect the formation of the standings, endangering the fairness and transparency of the championship.

We demand urgent improvement in the quality of refereeing, clear mechanisms of accountability, and an equal, impartial approach towards all teams. Justice cannot be selective. The winner should be determined on the field, not by refereeing mistakes,” the statement from the club's press service reads.

It should be noted that in the 22nd round of the Fastex Premier League, Alashkert achieved a 3-1 victory over Urartu. During the match, the home team was left with only 9 players; Alexander Mishiev was sent off with a direct red card in the 43rd minute, and Narek Aghasyan left the field after receiving a second yellow card in the 90+4th minute.