After months of tension, legal disputes, and institutional blockade, the saga surrounding the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC) appears to be entering its final phase. On Wednesday, Vesela Lecheva, elected chairperson, received power of attorney from Stefka Kostadinova, which will allow her to manage the committee until the final completion of legal procedures for the registration of the new leadership.
The two held a brief working meeting, after which it became clear that Lecheva would start work even before the court's final decision. She stated that "institutional stability and Bulgarian Olympism" are a priority, and she also maintains constant contact with the International Olympic Committee. The developments in the case will also be presented to the IOC Executive Board, which meets in Lausanne.
This marks a serious turn in a conflict that began after the BOC General Assembly on March 19, 2025. Then, Vesela Lecheva won the elections for chairperson, ending Stefka Kostadinova's nearly 20-year leadership. However, instead of a smooth transfer of power, complaints, legal procedures, and a block on registration in the Commercial Register followed.
For months, the BOC operated in an unprecedented situation – with an elected but unregistered new leadership.
An additional political nuance to the conflict was brought by Stefka Kostadinova's participation in the snap parliamentary elections. The Olympic champion was a list leader on behalf of Delyan Peevski's party but failed to enter the National Assembly.
According to analysts, it was the end of the elections and the unsuccessful political project that accelerated the subsequent development – the withdrawal of all lawsuits against the General Assembly and the granting of power of attorney to Vesela Lecheva.
A few days ago, it was officially announced that all complaints against the conducted vote have been withdrawn. The court is expected to issue rulings within the statutory period, after which the new leadership will be finally registered.
This directly affects Bulgarian volleyball, as the president of the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation, Lyubomir Ganev, has been elected vice-president in Vesela Lecheva's new leadership. Thus, after the final registration, he will officially assume his powers, retaining the position he held during Stefka Kostadinova's administration.
In this way, volleyball remains among the sports with the strongest influence in the management of the Olympic movement in Bulgaria.
photo:segabg.com