Investigation Launched into Bulgarian Football Management, Calls for Removal of Federation President
Bulgaria’s football management is under scrutiny as the country’s chief prosecutor has launched an investigation into the actions of Borislav Mihaylov, the president of the Bulgarian Football Federation. Following this development, Bulgaria’s prime minister has written a letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, urging the world governing body to take decisive action by removing Mihaylov as the federation leader and installing an interim management.
The investigation and calls for Mihaylov’s removal come in the wake of mass protests that took place in Bulgaria’s capital. Thousands of football fans took to the streets demanding Mihaylov’s resignation. The anger of the fans was fueled by the federation’s decision to play a European Championship qualifying match against Hungary in an empty stadium, as well as their dissatisfaction with the national team’s decline.
In the protests, which eventually turned violent, several fans and policemen were injured, some seriously. Nearly 40 people were detained by the police. In a letter published on the government website, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov expressed the government’s deep aggravation with the developments and cited long-standing criticism and dissatisfaction of football clubs with the leadership in the country.
Denkov also highlighted FIFA’s authority to remove member federation leaders under exceptional circumstances and suggested the installation of a normalization committee. He requested Infantino’s involvement in finding possible solutions to the unprecedented situation.
The Bulgarian national football team has not qualified for a major tournament in nearly two decades, and the recent losses to Albania and Lithuania further fueled the fans’ discontent. Prior to the protests, fans had been shouting Resign! in the 18th minute of every league match, directing their frustration towards Mihaylov and his aides.
The prosecutor’s investigation follows numerous media reports alleging various violations and potential criminal activities, including the misappropriation of public funds and involvement in illicit betting schemes. Mihaylov, who has been the president of the Bulgarian Football Federation since 2005, faced temporary resignation in 2019 after fans made Nazi salutes and subjected England’s Black players to racial abuse during a Euro 2020 qualifying game in Sofia.
Dimitar Berbatov, the former Manchester United forward who campaigned for leadership against Mihaylov, condemned the violence during the protests. He emphasized that aggression provokes more aggression and explained that emotions escalated when fans were denied the opportunity to protest at the stadium as regular spectators.
Mihaylov’s tenure has seen the decline of the Bulgarian national team, which has failed to qualify for major tournaments since Euro 2004. During his time in office, he served on the UEFA executive committee from 2011 to 2019. However, his election to the committee coincided with a match-fixing investigation involving a game between Bulgaria and Estonia. The ongoing investigation includes that match from almost 13 years ago, which was allegedly linked to betting scams by a Singapore crime syndicate.
The development of an investigation into Bulgarian football management, along with the calls for the removal of the federation president, highlights the discontent and frustration among football fans in the country. With the government and prime minister actively involved, and FIFA being urged to take action, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and what measures will be taken to address the grievances raised by the fans and the broader allegations against the football leadership in Bulgaria.
