 On 8 May 2013 Vardanyan was appointed Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs.Introducing Vardanyan as a new member of his cabinet, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan stated that he is "It would be hard to find a better candidate for this post as Mr. Vardanyan knows very well the needs of athletes, their living conditions, and what should be done to promote sports in our country.From this perspective, we do believe that his long experience and knowledge may bring about a breakthrough in this field."