Stepanakert vs Gyumri
Stepanakert vs Gyumri, Pan-Armenian Games, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia for EurasiaNet 2007
Didn’t get to see much of the Stepanakert versus Gyumri women’s basketball today other than one of the players getting a rather nasty bump on the nose in the last few seconds of the game. I’m pleased to say that no curses or bad words were exchanged in what really was an accident even if one referee from the Diaspora told me he wasn’t happy with what he considered to be many breaches of the rules with the acceptance of the local adjudicators.
Anyway, regardless, Stepanakert won and I got to see the following match between Yerevan and Athens that immediately followed. Photos to come of the match which Yerevan won quite convincingly in the next hour or so. Also, given that the Pan-Armenian Games are scheduled to continue until Sunday, my EurasiaNet photo story has been postponed until next Thursday or Friday.
Incidentally, basketball and volleyball seem to be the most high-profile sports of the Pan-Armenian Game and it’s interesting to note that the competition was meant to be staged every two years. Now, for whatever the reason, but I suppose financial, the event will be held every four years with a Pan-Armenian basketball competition held in between.
Stepanakert vs Gyumri, Pan-Armenian Games, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia for EurasiaNet 2007
The decision to hold Pan-Armenian Games every 4 years is not new, it was made 4 years ago, and meanwhile one Pan-Armenian Games with only basketball already has taken place 2 years ago. The reason is not only financial, but also as you said basketball sports have high-profile on the least that almost all participating countries have basketball teams, whereas they don’t have many representatives of other sports.
Comment by Zara — August 25, 2007 @ 12:29 pm