site.btaPresident Iotova to Bulgarian Olympians: Bulgaria Is with You

Addressing Bulgarian athletes participating in the 25th Winter Olympic Games in Milan/Cortina, Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova said: "The Bulgarian participants in the Winter Olympics are highly professional athletes who work hard and should be proud of their achievements. In the coming days, all of Bulgaria will be watching them, sharing their excitement, and supporting them. The medals they win will be invaluable to us."

Bulgaria will be represented by twenty athletes competing in biathlon, alpine snowboarding, alpine skiing, ski jumping, cross-country skiing, and figure skating, the press office of the head of state reported on Friday.

President Iotova is in Milan at the invitation of International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry, for the official opening ceremony of the Olympics. Together with Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC) President-elect Vesela Lecheva, she attended the official IOC-hosted reception for heads of state and national Olympic committee leaders.

"Let politics stay far away from sports, because the athletes do not deserve it given their enormous effort, the pressure, and their big dreams of winning medals. Let us rise above political passions," Iliana Iotova said on Bulgarian National Television.

The President supports the ideas of IOC President Kirsty Coventry for the development of the Olympic Games in close cooperation with athletes, because the best ideas come from them.

On Friday, the Bulgarian President will be received by her Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella, at the Royal Palace in Milan, where a reception in honour of the official opening of the 25th Winter Olympic Games will be held. Later, Iotova will attend the opening ceremony at San Siro Stadium.