site.btaBulgaria's Olympic Preparations Were Hampered by Restricted Staff, Says BOC President Lecheva

Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC) President Vesela Lecheva Tuesday said that in just three days, the world's attention will turn to the Olympic Games, with Bulgaria entering the biggest winter sports forum focused on the performances of its talented and already proven athletes.

In her words, organizing the Olympic Games poses a serious challenge for the hosts, as the competitions will be held across several resorts. Nevertheless, the BOC President expressed confidence that Italy would cope with the ambitious programme.

Asked by journalists whether the saga surrounding the BOC leadership had hampered the country's preparations for the Olympic Games, Lecheva acknowledged that it had had an impact. She commented that preparatory work had been hindered by the restricted staff available to BOC. Even so, Lecheva voiced confidence that this would not be felt by the athletes, coaches and coaching teams who will be in Italy.

Lecheva, who is Vice President of the European Shooting Confederation, is in Burgas for the opening of the European Championship 10m Air Rifle/Air Pistol U21 MJ/WJ, the first event of its kind in Bulgaria in almost 30 years. Around 800 junior athletes from more than 40 countries are taking part. She described hosting the event as a significant step for Bulgarian shooting sports and thanked Burgas Municipality and the Youth and Sports Ministry for their support.

The BOC President stressed that the successful staging of the European Championship opens up an opportunity for Bulgaria to host major events for men and women as well. She noted the positive communication with the European Shooting Confederation and the growing interest in Bulgaria as a new destination for major sporting events.