ISU allows Armenian music but bars “Artsakh” name at Winter Olympics

(Horizon Weekly) – Olympic skating officials have amended the official program listing for Armenia’s figure skating pair after Azerbaijan objected to the title of the music chosen for the short program, in a move that avoided any change to the performance itself.

The Armenian skaters selected Artsakh, an instrumental work by Armenian composer Ara Gevorgyan. Azerbaijan’s National Olympic Committee filed a complaint, arguing that the title carried political meaning and violated the Olympic Charter’s neutrality provisions.

After reviewing the complaint, the International Skating Union revised the program description to list the music as “Music by Ara Gevorgyan,” removing the title while allowing the piece to be performed without alteration.

Armenia’s pair, Karina Akopova and Nikita Rakhmanin, who began competing under the Armenian flag in 2025, are scheduled to skate on February 15. Their participation marks Armenia’s first Olympic appearance in pairs figure skating since 2002.

While Olympic rules are intended to keep sport separate from politics, the incident has drawn attention to how cultural references associated with Armenian history and identity continue to face scrutiny, even in arenas traditionally governed by artistic freedom.