YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS. Artur Soghomonyan, the owner of Yerevan “Pyunik” football club, has put the club up for sale.
“Armenpress”according to the press service of the club. The message specifically states:
“I want to tell about a decision that was not given to me easily. I thought for a long time and decided to sell the “Pyunik” football club and leave Armenian professional football.
The main and only reason is the persecution of the leadership of the Football Federation of Armenia, which has been going on for more than two years.
Unfortunately, the situation has long gone beyond the boundaries of common sense and professional ethics, turning into a personal confrontation. It causes great damage to the team, fans and our academy, and most importantly, the reputation of Armenian football.
For more than 2 years, “Pyunik” football club and I fought against unruly behavior, aggression and incompetence of the federation leaders.
In the last 4 years, 5 teams of the Higher League, as well as 6 large investors, left Armenian football, declaring the impossibility of working with the incompetent heads of the federation.
Unfortunately, I have come to this conclusion as well. This is a very painful but considered decision for me, because I really don’t see any point in working in such an unhealthy atmosphere.
I am sure that there will be people interested in continuing the glorious history of “Pyunik” football club, which has not only achieved great achievements in recent years, but has also become widely known in Armenia and beyond.
I want to reassure the parents and students of “Pyunik” Academy. I will continue to invest in the Junior Academy and all our students will continue to be educated in their age groups.
I am not leaving Armenian sports and will continue to invest, because I believe that the development of sports is very important for our country.
I will be ready to return to Armenian football when the leadership of the federation changes and people come who will be really interested in the development of football.
I would like to thank all those who have been by our side for the past 7 years, supported and rejoiced with us in our victories. We really achieved historic results and I am proud to have been a part of this big and united family called “Pyunik” football club.”
“Pyunik” is a professional football club that was founded in Yerevan in 1992, the same year when the Football Federation of Armenia and the First Division Football Championship were established in newly independent Armenia one year after the collapse of the USSR. The founder of the club is the legend of Armenian football, Khoren Hovhannisyan. From the moment of its foundation until 1995, the team was called “Homenetmen”, and then it was renamed “Pyunik”.
