site.btaOutgoing Bulgarian Olympic Committee President: No One Is above Bulgarian Court or Sport

Stefka Kostadinova announced on Monday that she will continue to perform her duties as President of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC) "in good faith, responsibly, and with due care" until the court's decision on the case.

On March 19, Kostadinova lost the election for a new term as head of the BOC to Vesela Lecheva, but as a result of applications filed against the organization and the decisions of the General Assembly, five days later the Sofia City Court suspended Lecheva's registration as head, and Kostadinova remained in office.

Lecheva and Kostadinova met twice in April in an attempt to resolve the matter, but they did not succeed. In May, Lecheva reported that communication with Kostadinova had been unilaterally blocked.

On May 17, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) sent a letter to the BOC stating that president-elect Lecheva and the newly elected BOC leadership will be the only persons entitled to represent the BOC to the IOC, within the Olympic Movement and at all IOC-recognized events and Games. The letter continued:

"We note with regret that a number of lawsuits have been filed in Bulgaria since the General Assembly, which have created unnecessary confusion and which may take several months to settle. We were not aware of any specific issue/objection before or during the General Assembly and were not aware of the underlying reasons why the sovereign decisions of the BOC General Assembly are now being challenged at the local level."

On September 17, Lecheva warned that Bulgaria may be banned from competing under its national flag at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy due to the ongoing issues with the BOC leadership.

Kostadinova's announcement reads: 

"I have remained silent all these months because I tried to preserve my dignity, but first and foremost I tried to preserve the dignity of Bulgarian sport.

"Until the competent court rules, I am the person representing the Bulgarian Olympic Committee, as registered in the Commercial Register, and I perform my duties as BOC President in good faith, responsibly and with due care.

"My only hope is that the outcome of the legal dispute will benefit Bulgarian sport and the athletes who have grown up with it. I call on Ms Lecheva to stop scaring the public that if she is not at the head of the BOC, there will be no Bulgarian Olympic Committee and no Bulgarian sport. This is not true! Remember, Bulgaria is above all else – above arrogance, lust for power and unfair play. And the next time you decide to slander anyone, remember the feeling of hearing the anthem playing with the Bulgarian flag in the background."