The International Olympic Committee (IOC) sent a letter to the Bulgarian Olympic Committee regarding what is happening in the organization after the Electoral Assembly on March 19. The IOC specifies that it "has provisionally recognized the results of the BOC Electoral General Assembly on March 19, 2025, in particular the election of Ms. Vessela Lecheva as the new BOC President and all members of the BOC Executive Board", BTA reports.
Here is the text of the letter:
To: Ms. Stefka KOSTADINOVA, Outgoing President
To: Ms. Vessela LECHEVA, Newly elected President
Dear Ms. Kostadinova, Dear Ms. Lecheva,
We refer to your various messages and our conversations over the past few weeks related to the Electoral General Assembly of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC), which was held on March 19, 2025.
We have carefully reviewed the situation and would like to confirm that the IOC has provisionally recognised the results of the BOC Electoral General Assembly on 19 March 2025, in particular the election of Ms. Vessela Lecheva as the new BOC President and all members of the BOC Executive Board.
As a result, we will immediately update the IOC database and platforms accordingly. As a result, Ms. Lecheva and the newly elected BOC leadership will be the only individuals entitled to represent the BOC before the IOC, within the Olympic Movement and at all IOC-recognised events and games.
We regret to note that following the holding of the Electoral General Assembly, a number of legal cases were filed in Bulgaria, which have created unnecessary confusion and may take several months to resolve. We were not informed of any specific issues/objections before or during the Electoral General Assembly and we were not aware of the main reasons why the sovereign decisions of the BOC General Assembly are now being challenged locally.
We understand that all decisions taken by the newly elected BOC leadership will need to be temporarily countersigned/approved by the outgoing BOC President, as a formality, due to these ongoing legal actions. As agreed, we trust that these legal formalities will be carried out in full harmony, with common sense and in good faith, so that the newly elected BOC leadership can start work without further delay, in the best interests of the BOC and the Bulgarian athletes. If there is any problem or lack of cooperation during this transitional period, the IOC will have to review the situation, which may expose the BOC to additional measures or sanctions.
We count on the cooperation and responsible actions of everyone to adhere to the above approach in the interest of the Olympic Movement and the athletes in Bulgaria, as a number of important sporting events are approaching, including in particular the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
We thank you for your understanding and remain fully at your disposal for any further assistance you may need to resolve this unpleasant situation.
Sincerely,
James MacLeod
Director “NOC Relations, Olympic Solidarity and Olympism “365