Following the end of her term in charge of Bulgarian wrestling, Stanka Zlateva is considering a new venture – a tavern in Sliven. The establishment will be called “The Arena” and, according to information cited by “Bulgaria Today”, is planned to be located next to the “Stanka Zlateva” sports hall. Bulgarian cuisine will be served there.
“I’m unemployed now, after all, so I have to make a living somehow; I’m continuing on my own path,” Zlateva says. She adds that she will no longer be involved in wrestling and will not hold leadership positions in sport.
The change comes after the extraordinary general assembly of the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation on October 17, 2026. Todor Angelov was elected president of the federation at that meeting. According to the published results, he received 94 votes and succeeded Zlateva in the position.
“I had ideas, I had the desire, I had a cause”
Zlateva says she wanted the clubs to be heard more clearly, children to receive more opportunities, and Bulgaria to produce new champions.
“It isn’t easy to give up all at once what you love, but God willing, if we have life and health, everything will fall into place someday,” Stanka Zlateva says.She has not specified a date for the tavern’s opening. “I’m considering how to make things happen; for now, I’ve jotted down some ideas about exactly what I’ll do, but I don’t want to go into specifics,” the champion says.
Shortly before she began thinking about the new business, Zlateva sold her personal van, which she had used in her work for the federation.
Wine, sujuk and life in Krushare
Outside sports administration, Zlateva makes wine and sujuk. She continues to spend much of her time in Krushare and makes no secret of her attachment to village life.
For the sujuk, she selects the meat herself and uses 10 kilograms of beef and 1 kilogram of pork, adding spices. After being kneaded, the meat is left to dry for four to five days. According to Zlateva, her sujuk often brings other wrestlers together around the table as well.
The former athlete graduated with a degree in “Finance and Credit”, followed by training as a coach at the National Sports Academy. For now, she says she is taking a break and letting the future show her where she will go next.
“Wherever life goes, that’s where I’ll go. For now, I’m taking a little rest,” Zlateva says.Sources: hotarena.net, bntnews.bg