Armen Nazarian disputes Bulgarian Wrestling Federation licensing decision for his sons

The Bulgarian Wrestling Federation (BФ Борба) responded to former Olympic champion Armen Nazarian’s criticism that his sons, Edmond and Grisha Nazarian, were denied licences to represent Bulgaria. The federation said it had sent invitations to all clubs, including CSKA, to join the national team’s preparatory camp for classic wrestling scheduled for 10‑31 July 2026. Edmond and Grisha were listed in the invitation, but CSKA did not reply by the 6 July deadline, which the federation treated as a refusal, leaving the brothers out of the camp and therefore ineligible for upcoming world championships.

The federation emphasized that all athletes selected for the national team must attend the Ministry‑approved preparation program and rejected claims of discrimination. It noted that only one athlete, Soslan Farniev, faced restrictions for conduct deemed incompatible with representing Bulgaria.

Armen Nazarian, a two‑time Olympic champion, called the decision discriminatory and asked for a private meeting with federation head Stanka Zlateva, but the federation maintained its stance that the rules apply equally to all competitors.