“Ararat” presented its official position regarding Varazdat Haroyan’s sending-off in the match against “Pyunik”

Football club “Ararat” has submitted an official appeal to the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee of the Football Federation of Armenia regarding the incident that occurred in the 55th minute of the match against “Pyunik” on August 21.

The club stated that it does not support physical reactions from players, but believes that the actions of team captain Varazdat Haroyan should be considered in the context of the events that preceded them — namely, the provocation from the opponent.

According to “Ararat’s” version of events, “Pyunik” player Jasonas Pikis approached Haroyan himself after the game situation, engaged in a close-range conversation while covering his mouth with his hand, after which the “Ararat” captain reacted once by pushing him. The club emphasized that no further aggressive actions followed from Haroyan.

“Ararat” also referred to IFAB regulations governing similar player behavior when communicating with opponents. The club believes that speaking at close range while covering one’s mouth may have a provocative nature and notes that the lack of mandatory enforcement of such a rule in Armenian competitions was one of the factors that contributed to the situation.

According to the club, it was the provocation by the “Pyunik” player that directly caused the incident. At the same time, “Ararat” believes that Haroyan’s reaction was immediate, while the team has already suffered serious consequences due to the captain’s dismissal during the match.

In its appeal, the club asked the Disciplinary Committee to:

• Avoid imposing any additional punishment on Varazdat Haroyan or apply a conditional sanction, limiting the punishment to a one-match suspension;
• Avoid fining “Ararat” or impose the minimum possible penalty;
• Provide a disciplinary assessment of Jasonas Pikis’ behavior, which the club considers provocative.

“Ararat” stated that it expects a proportional assessment of the situation and a fair decision from the disciplinary authorities.