What's going on in your home weightlifting federation? Weightlifters themselves ask this question. This is shown by a post on social networks that appeared on the profile of the four-time European champion (category up to 55 kg) Angel Rusev, bTV reported.
Other medalists are also noted in it - the bronze medalist from the Olympic Games in Paris Bozhidar Andreev, the European champions from 2022 Hristo Hristov and Ivan Dimov, Dzhan Zarkov, Vasil Marinov, Deniz Danev, Gabriel Georgiev.
"What is happening with the Bulgarian Weightlifting Federation? What is happening to us contestants? No money, no camps. We have a world championship… And there is no camp situation, there is no recovery. Until when will we win medals only for glory and plaques from MMS?
Mr. Kodjabashev, we also want to ask you how long we will be put in this situation?", the publication says.
This is another expression of dissatisfaction against the administration of the new president, Anton Kojabashev, who took office on March 14. The Olympic champion Carlos Nassar also spoke out against him, saying that the federation asked him for 30% of his income from sponsorship contracts.
A large number of native weightlifters continue to be without wages as their clubs cannot receive their funding. The Ministry of Youth and Sports stated that they could not pay out money due to the large debts of the federation. They amount to about BGN 700,000.
Anton Kodjabashev blames his predecessors - Arif Majid and Nedelcho Kolev, for their accumulation.
In December 2024, a world championship is coming up in Bahrain.