On April 24, 1981, Diego Maradona, in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, and as a sign of respect for Noray Nakis, entered the football field with a tricolor Armenian flag.
‘No professional footballer who would at least 10% of Maradona’s potential would do this, even if asked to do so. Maradona deliberately took such a step, because he respects Armenians and knows about Armenia.
I want to somehow invite him to Armenia so that Armenian sports fans could communicate directly with him,” Nakis once admitted, adding with some pride that he is the only Argentinean football official with whom Maradona never had disagreements.
Noray Nakis was invited to the Argentine Football Federation in 1978 and was immediately included in the organizing committee of the FIFA World Cup.
From 1981 to 2013, Noray Nakis took part in organizing the matches of Albiselesta. In 2011, Noray Nakis was appointed vice president of the federation, and over time he became vice president of the Independiente club and president of the Armeno Deportivo club.
Gevork Meruzhanovich Editorial and Translate Art-A-Tsolum
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