FFA Refereeing Committee Chairman Worked for Company Linked to Ararat-Armenia Owners, Raising Conflict of Interest Questions

Slava Ghazaryan, chairman of the Refereeing Committee of the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA), spent several years combining his role at the federation with a position at Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA). At the time, the company was owned by the Tashir Group, which is linked to the owners of Ararat-Armenia Football Club.

This was reported by Radio Azatutyun, which raised questions about a potential conflict of interest within Armenia's football refereeing system.

What Is the Connection Between the FFA Refereeing Chief and Ararat-Armenia?

Slava Ghazaryan has chaired the FFA Refereeing Committee since 2019. He previously held the same position from 1988 to 2000.

Ghazaryan also worked for Electric Networks of Armenia from 2000. Between 2008 and 2025, he held positions as deputy director of the Musaler branch and head of the Armavir electricity distribution network.

The Tashir Group, owned by the family of businessman Samvel Karapetyan, founded Ararat-Armenia Football Club in 2017. The team made its debut in the top division of Armenian football during the 2018/19 season.

As a result, from 2019, the chairman of the FFA Refereeing Committee was simultaneously employed by a company connected to the owners of a club competing in the Armenian championship.

Under FFA regulations, the Refereeing Committee is responsible for appointing referees to matches, overseeing their performance, improving their qualifications, and imposing disciplinary measures in cases of misconduct. The committee also influences referees' professional advancement.

Slava Ghazaryan Denies Allegations of Bias

Speaking to Radio Azatutyun, Ghazaryan confirmed that he had worked for ENA but strongly rejected the possibility of a conflict of interest.

According to him, he has never made decisions favoring Ararat-Armenia during his time as chairman of the Refereeing Committee.

Moreover, Ghazaryan stated that the club had regularly expressed dissatisfaction with refereeing decisions. He claimed that Ararat-Armenia representatives submitted numerous complaints about officiating every year.

The refereeing chief also said that he left ENA in January 2025, following the appointment of Narek Karapetyan as chairman of the company's board of directors.

Ghazaryan emphasized that FFA regulations did not prohibit him from working for another organization and that his work on the Refereeing Committee was carried out under a service agreement.

He also claimed that he first met representatives of the company's owners in person only in late 2024.

How Did the Football Federation of Armenia Respond?

The FFA provided a written response to an inquiry from Radio Azatutyun journalists.

The federation stated that it had no evidence of a conflict of interest or biased treatment in favor of Ararat-Armenia.

According to the FFA, the organization had received no factual information confirming a violation of the relevant rules. Furthermore, such circumstances had never previously been the subject of a formal review within the federation.

What Do FIFA's Rules Say?

Under Article 20 of the 2023 edition of the FIFA Code of Ethics, football officials must not perform their duties in situations where an actual or potential conflict of interest could influence their decisions.

In addition, before taking up a position, officials are required to disclose relationships and interests that could potentially lead to such situations.

However, the mere fact of holding positions in two organizations simultaneously does not prove bias in referee appointments or decision-making.

To date, the FFA has not confirmed any violations by Slava Ghazaryan, while the Refereeing Committee chairman denies that his employment at ENA could have influenced the work of Armenian football referees.

As a reminder, Ararat-Armenia won the Armenian championship in the 2025/26 season, finishing four points ahead of Noah.