September 5 commemorates the anniversary of the death of Albert Azaryan, the renowned Armenian gymnast, Honored Worker of Physical Culture and Sports, and three-time Olympic champion, as well as world and European champion, known as the “King of the Rings”. RA ESCS Minister Zhanna Andreasyan and Deputy Minister Karen Giloyan attended the opening ceremony of the renowned gymnast's bronze statue in Komitas Pantheon in relation to this.

A memorial service was held to commemorate the anniversary, during which participants laid flowers on Albert Azaryan's tomb and burned incense in his memory. The President of the Armenian Gymnastics Federation Gagik Vanoyan, Olympic champion Eduard Azaryan, Olympic silver and bronze medalist Artur Davtyan, athletes, coaches, sports fans of the gymnastics team, members of the Azaryan family participated in the event.

Sculptor Gor Davtyan is the author of the statue created with state funding. According to him, the son of the legendary gymnast Eduard Azaryan selected the final design from several sketches showcasing the “Azaryan cross” in an inclined position.

“Albert Azaryan is an athlete who left a mark in the world history of gymnastics, which is reflected not only in the three-time Olympic Games championship, but also in the “Azaryan cross”. It didn't take us long to think: we realized that this legendary exercise should form the foundation of the composition. Accurately demonstrating the movement was crucial, and the staff at the Albert Azaryan Gymnastics School provided significant support. The responsibility was significant, yet I would frequently visit the sports school to observe our gymnasts training for the Paris Olympic Games and engage in discussions with them. Following their advice and training reduced my anxiety,” says the young sculptor.

Gagik Vanoyan, President of the Armenian Gymnastics Federation, stated that the statue of Albert Azaryan reflects the state's appreciation for the legendary gymnast's life and contributions.

“This is a worthy appraisal of Mr. Azaryan's merits by the state. It's been a great honour for me to work and communicate with such a legendary man. I can say with certainty that there has not been a single day this year that we have not lacked his presence, his inspiring gaze, advice and guidance,” noted Gagik Vanoyan.

Head coach of the Armenian national gymnastics team Hakob Serobyan emphasizes that it is impossible to replace Albert Azaryan, and the Armenian gymnastics family has one goal -always to uphold high the honour of the legendary athlete and the sports school named after him: “After Albert Azaryan's death, we promised ourselves that we would definitely win a medal at the Olympic Games. Although a gold medal would be ideal, I'm sure Mr. Azaryan would also be extremely happy with a silver medal. A picture of Artur Davtyan, who took a bronze medal from the Tokyo Olympics, was pinned to Albert Azaryan's office wall: he considered it a significant achievement. Mr. Azaryan is always with us: we have had Olympic champions and we can have them again. His absence from the sports school is noticeable, we feel a void and cannot fill this gap, but we must make every effort to always maintain Albert Azaryan's name and the honour of his sports school at a high level in international arenas.”

Albert Azaryan died on September 5, 2023, at the age of 94. He is the Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR (1954), Honored Coach of the Armenian SSR, and Honoured Worker of Physical Culture and Sports of the Armenian SSR (1967).

He competed in 49 countries, winning 45 gold, 42 silver, and 10 bronze medals. He was a three-time Olympic, four-time world, and two-time European champion. He was awarded the title of champion 11 times in the USSR championships.

According to the accreditation of the International Gymnastics Federation, the sequence of exercises that he performed on the rings was officially named the “Azaryan Cross”.