The President of the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation (BWF) Stanka Zlateva came out with an official position hours before tomorrow's General Reporting and Election Assembly of the headquarters. Our legendary athlete made a comprehensive overview of the main challenges facing this sport and made a clear appeal to all delegates with the right to vote.
In her address, the two-time Olympic vice-champion and multiple world and European champion called on club representatives to take a sober assessment of what the current management team has achieved, instead of being misled by loud election promises.
Here is Zlateva's address:
What are the latest promises for the future of Bulgarian wrestling? "The Coalition of Naturalizations" would work on the program of the previously prominent "patron", would pay more attention to children, would "unify".
We know very well what this "program" is and what is hidden behind the beautiful tales of unification. We know about the demonstrative showing of the middle finger to the Bulgarian flag by national team coaches like Soslan Farniev, about the ban on speaking Bulgarian during training camps and about the expulsion of Bulgarian coaches from training halls.
Is this the "program" that wants to restore the "coalition of naturalizations"?
We propose that the decision of the Board of Directors of April 2, 2025, with which we restored the Bulgarian element in the national team, continue to apply. Our position is clear: the participation of national athletes in international championships must be tied to their participation in the national team camps. The rules must apply to everyone, and the national team must work in the interest of Bulgaria, not of individuals and club affiliations.
And what about the U15 and U17 children? We waited 25 years for someone to think of them, but this did not happen. The people who until last year single-handedly commanded the Bulgarian wrestling, together with their famous "patron", had enough time to show how much they care about these ages. How many U15 and U17 camps did they organize? Zero. Round zero!
We have turned training camps and the care for these children into a common practice. Because the future of Bulgarian wrestling begins in the clubs across the country, in the gyms and in the work of Bulgarian coaches, and not with promises made at a time when someone again wants to take control of the federation.
Today they are offering us to return to the dark times of the Farnievi brothers - again at the expense of the federation and the Bulgarian state. The same state to which they demonstratively show the middle finger.
I will not allow Bulgarian wrestling to be turned into a private territory of people who put their personal interests above the national interest.
Our program is clear: strong Bulgarian clubs, care for children, support for native specialists and rules that apply to everyone.
Because unification does not mean returning the old model under a new name. It means putting Bulgaria and Bulgarian wrestling above everything else."