 In place of the 1984 Olympic Games, Vardanyan and the rest of the Soviet and Soviet-affiliated athletes competed at the 1984 Friendship Games.Vardanyan gave yet another dominant performance at the Friendship Games, this time totalling 405 kg to win the gold medal, 20 kg ahead of silver medalist Asen Zlatev (385 kg).Leading up to the light heavyweight division, all the first five divisions had been won by the Bulgarian team.