- Mr. Ninov, item 4 on the agenda of the last meeting of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation (BVF) "included consideration of a report by Deyan Ninov regarding a proposal for a change in the organization of group stage matches in the ANVG - men's championship." Could you provide more details about this proposal?

-The purpose of this proposal is to support the 18 clubs participating in the "A"NVG championship (VC MARITSA BELOVO, VC VELIKI PRESLAV, VC ELIT SILISTRA, VC SLIVEN, VC BLAGOEVGRAD, VC SEPTEMVRI PRO CINEMA, VC POPOVO 09, VC VOLOV 2020, VC SLIVEN VOLLEY, VC TROYAN VOLLEY, VC BOTEV IHTIMAN, VC OSAM, VC LYULIN, VC METALURG, VC TETEVEN VOLLEY, VC KHAN ASPARUH, VC LOKOMOTIV CHERVEN BRYAG and VC PHOENIX 2024) with one administrative change. This should in no way burden the federation with additional expenses. This is the lowest level of men's volleyball and it is essentially amateur. Clubs with modest financial capabilities participate in this group, and thanks to them, there are cities where, if it weren't for them, the word volleyball would not be heard at all. The proposal is that in the group stage matches of this championship, there should be no referee delegates, so that clubs can save on expenses, which they can use for something else. Because clubs cover all expenses for referees and delegates, such as travel, daily allowances, and if necessary, even overnight stays; there have been cases of delegates claiming payment for two overnight stays, etc. The proposal is for this fee, respectively the presence of this official, to be waived only for the group stage, and to remain for the playoffs, to be balanced with respect to the delegates. I would give an example with some of the junior matches, where the level of volleyball is higher than in "A"NVG, but the matches have always been played without a delegate and proceed normally. Of course, when a problem arises, the referees are the ones who have the right to report, etc.

- In the announcement on the federation's website, we read that no decision was made on this proposal. Are you personally optimistic that it will be voted on?

-Logically, since all participating clubs in this division want it and have supported it, it should be adopted. Because in reality, the federation is an association of clubs, not of referees or delegates. But to be honest, I'm not sure if it will be accepted, because anything is possible in the BVF Board of Directors... If it depended only on me, it would already be a fact, but it doesn't depend on me. I am not even registered as a member of the new Board of Directors and have no voting rights.

- I sense that you are rather skeptical...

- I am skeptical because there were synchronized actions by several people aimed at sweeping this proposal under the rug. With explanations that, you see, young referees needed to learn, and when there was a delegate, he would write them evaluations, and that's how they learned... I also believe that some referees need to learn, and indeed have a lot to learn, and I admire that. But my opinion is that their learning should not be at the expense of the poorest clubs.