site.btaUPDATED Vesela Lecheva, Stefka Kostadinova Exchange Accusations of Exerting Pressure in Fight for Bulgarian Olympic Committee Leadership

Vesela Lecheva, president-elect of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC), congratulated Bulgarian athletes on the Bulgarian Sport Day and commented on the current issues related to BOC in an interview with bTV on Saturday. She and her predecessor, BOC acting president Stefka Kostadinova, exchanged accusations of exerting pressure in the fight over the BOC leadership. 

"Happy holiday to all participants of the sports movement in Bulgaria. In 2006 I proposed to the Council of Ministers that Bulgaria should have its own national sports holiday. Today I want to congratulate all athletes on their celebration and remind that there is no greater and more important mission than to educate a young and educated generation," Lecheva said.

"I would like us to focus on the successes and tasks ahead, unfortunately we have been talking about the BOC General Assembly for two months now. Let's go back to the facts - I was elected by 48 votes to 33, without complaints, in front of all the media, in a completely fair assembly. Ms [her predecessor Stefka] Kostadinova congratulated me, wished me well, congratulated the committee members, gave an extensive interview, and then put the General Assembly into another scenario. She took this battle beyond the General Assembly," said Lecheva.

“Unfortunately, we have been talking about the same thing for two months now and not, for example, about the useful conversation I had with [US Chargé d'affaires to Bulgaria] Susan Falatko about Los Angeles 2026, the Olympic athletes integration programmes and a number of other initiatives that the American side has,” she said.

Lecheva added that there are still no concrete steps to implement the decisions of the General Assembly after the last meeting with Stefka Kostadinova.

On Friday, Kostadinova released an official statement to the media in which she complained about pressure from people in Bulgaria and from people outside the country who are trying to make her vacate her post. She pointed out that she would not do so because such a move would “create chaos” in the final months before the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, which in turn would jeopardise the participation of Bulgarian athletes. According to Kostadinova, behind all these problems stands Lecheva and her desire for “quick legitimisation”.

Lecheva responded on Saturday, "From day one I have been advocating for a civilized transition. What is happening is unprecedented in the 100-year history of the BOC. Ms Kostadinova's latest statements, in which she talks about ‘pressure being exerted - inside and outside Bulgaria’ are beginning to sound extremely confusing. Let her be specific about what she is talking about. Because I see more pressure against the decisions of the General Assembly."

“I do not know what ‘appetite for office’ Ms Kostadinova, who has been running the Bulgarian Olympic Committee for 20 years, is talking about,” she added, commenting on Kostadinova's declaration.

"Ms. Kostadinova took this race off the floor of the General Assembly. Perhaps in an attempt to seek a win by default. I am not that strong on that terrain, outside the official halls, outside the General Assembly. Maybe she is looking to steal the election."

Lecheva announced that she would make another attempt at a meeting, although so far “promises made have not been kept.” She called for a transition to be made again in the BOC like the one in the International Olympic Committee between Thomas Bach and Kirsty Coventry.

Asked if she was in communication with the International Olympic Committee, Lecheva said, "I have only institutional relations with the IOC. It is the most influential sports organisation in the world, I can only compare it to the UN. Everything is spelled out in the IOC Charter. The BOC Statutes are approved by the International Olympic Committee. The link is very direct."

Later on Saturday, Kostadinova gave an interview to the Bulgarian National Television addressing the situation. She said that enormous pressure has been put on her. 

"Many things happened. On March 19 was the BOC General Assembly, you know what the result was. [...] Many colleagues ask me why I sealed the building, but I did not. 20 years ago I saw it from Ivan Slavkov, then he told me that this is how you hand over an institution. [...] I have been blamed and told to make people who filed complaints withdraw them. Firstly I did not file a complaint, secondly I never pushed them to file them, so I cannot tell them to withdraw the compaints. We live in a democratic country, everyone has a right to an opinion. Our laws comply with European jurisdiction. I am a Bulgarian citizen, Stefka Kostadinova, an Olympian and I respect all this," she added.

The former athlete brought more clarity on the decision that everything signed by BOC should go through her signature and that of Vesela Lecheva.

"I am still listed [as president] and Ms. Lecheva and her management are not. I am the acting president until the Bulgarian court rules. This happens in some Olympic committees and international federations. I cannot sign my name to someone else's will, because all the responsibility is mine. I cannot agree with Mrs Lecheva and carry out her decisions and those of her non-executive bureau, because I have all the responsibility. It is no coincidence that I brought my executive bureau together for a meeting to let it know what the situation is. The pressure on me is enormous, there are many bad signals and words being sent to the IOC. I am being asked to have Ms. Lecheva come to the BOC and I am being asked to implement her decisions. Let her put herself in my place," Kostadinova said.