A man in Yerevan reportedly claimed to have been beaten up on Sunday by Arsen Julfalakyan, a prominent Armenian wrestler and pro-government parliamentarian, and his equally famous father.
Police said on Monday that the 63-year-old man, Sergey Mkhitarian, was taken to the city’s Erebuni hospital after suffering physical injuries. The incident is being investigated, a police spokesman told RFE/RL’s Armenian service.
The Erebuni director, Mikael Manukian, said Mkhitarian was discharged from the hospital after doctors examined him and found that there is “nothing dangerous” in his injuries.
According to Shamshyan.com, Mkhitarian claimed that he was punched and kicked by Julfalakyan and the latter’s father Levon during a dispute. The Julfalakyans were questioned at a police station in Yerevan later on Sunday, reported the crime news website.
Mkhitarian did not return phone calls and could not be reached for comment. Arsen Julfalakyan denied assaulting him.
Julfalakyan is a former world and European wrestling champion who was elected to the Armenian parliament on Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s My Step alliance’s ticket in December. The 31-year-old still competes for Armenia in international wrestling tournaments.
His father is the head coach of Armenia’s national Greco-Roman wrestling team. Levon Julfalakyan is also a former Olympic, world and European champion.
Arsen Julfalakyan revealed on Monday that he, his father and Mkhitarian co-own a café in Yerevan. They met on Sunday to discuss business, he said, adding that Mkhitarian required hospitalization because he “felt unwell” during the conversation that was “a bit more tense than usual.”
In a Facebook post, Julfalakyan insisted that “there was no brawl or physical violence.” “I can’t imagine what would happen if I (and my father together with me) beat up someone, what consequences that could have,” he wrote.