Armenian sports official calls for independent body to oversee sector

Gabriel Ghazaryan, president of the Armenian Sports Development Fund and the Diving Federation, said the country’s sports sector needs an independent governing body, arguing that the current structure under the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports is ineffective.

“Winning medals in the future requires proper management and leadership. I don’t think sports should be run by just one department,” Ghazaryan told reporters ahead of a discussion organized by the Homeland Party and the Sports Development Fund on Friday.

He suggested that instead of a ministry, a separate committee could be established, but stressed it must function as a standalone entity. Ghazaryan added that Armenia’s sports community faces numerous challenges, which were set to be discussed at the meeting attended by federation presidents and other representatives of the sector.