Lyubomir Ganev: "The image of Bulgarian sports is the most important thing"

The president of the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation and vice-president of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee, Lyubomir Ganev, commented on the tension surrounding the Bulgarian Olympic Committee in recent weeks. On the BNT 1 show "Arena Sport", he emphasized that he was not defending Stefka Kostadinova or Vesela Lecheva, but only the authority of the BOC and Bulgarian sports.

"I don't want to defend anyone, I want to defend the BOC and its image. The statutes clearly state the procedures, but it's a pity that some people interpret them differently. I hope everything will be resolved as quickly as possible, because this harms Bulgarian sports and Stefka Kostadinova, who does not deserve such treatment," Ganev stated.

He shed more light on the sealing of the BOC after the elections for a new chairman: "Our budget is around 2 million leva, everything is transparent and reported to the Commercial Register. The police said they could only seal the building with a prosecutor's order, which I don't believe was issued 2-3 hours after the General Assembly. This was a big mistake."

Ganev warned that the IOC could impose sanctions on Bulgaria: "We risk a lot because the General Assembly was held correctly - 83 out of 86 delegates voted, all documents were checked. The IOC is monitoring the situation, and Vesela Lecheva is part of the commission, which also includes the newly elected president Kirsty Coventry.The Bulgarian Volleyball Federation was penalized 25 years ago for a similar problem and did not participate in international competitions for two whole years."

According to him, continuity in institutions like the BOC is crucial: "There is a lot of work and it requires time. It needs to be built upon, not destroyed. Stefka Kostadinova's mandate was the most successful in the new century with the most Olympic medals. Whoever is chairman should continue on this path."