The head coach of the Armenian weightlifting team, Pashik Alaverdyan, summed up the 31st summer Olympic Games during the meeting with reporters.

About the Olympic Games
The guys’ enthusiasm was very good but the fact that Andranik Karapetyan injured his hand was very upsetting. It could affect the guys psychologically but they stole themselves and showed what they were capable of. The guys were my soldiers at the Olympics; they had a real soldier spirit.
If we sent only one athlete to Rio it wouldn’t be Aghasi Aghasyan. It isn’t my but the coaching staff’s opinion.

About stimulators
The noise about stimulators is associated not only with our country but with many other countries. After an analysis made 8 years ago it turned out that stimulators were used. I don’t justify either athletes or coaches. Then all athlete not only in Armenia but in the whole world used stimulators because that time laboratories weren’t able to determine that amount of doping. Athletes took part in the Olympics after the initial verification of tests. That time all the athletes were at the same level. I’ll blame the IOC if it takes back the medals. In this case all the athletes must be checked. As for my guys when they won medals I told them that they are for the whole life.

About Andranik Karapetyan.
Andranik Karapetyan was second in the snatch. We started the clean and jerk from 195kg as he had lifted 200kg during the trainings. If we started from 190kg it would turn out that we were willingly refusing from a medal.
I’d like to answer the question about Ruben’s 9kg. Ruben ordered 9kg because 7 or 8 kg wouldn’t let him fight for a medal.

Photo by Panphoto
ANOC press service