The tournament in which former CSKA football player Martin Dechev died was canceled, and his prize fund will be donated to the defender's family. The decision was made by the organizers Bulgarian Football Tournaments, together with Hristo Stoichkov, whose patron was the competition.
Here is what BFT wrote on the occasion:
"Dear friends, With great sadness and pain we announce that the "30 Years of the Golden Ball" tournament was canceled after a tragic incident. At the end of the first day of the tournament, Martin Dechev, a former CSKA football player, collapsed on the field and unfortunately died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. According to initial information, the cause of death was pulmonary embolism.
After consulting with Mr. Hristo Stoichkov's team, BFT decided to cancel the tournament as a mark of respect to Martin's memory. The prize money from the tournament will be donated to his family.
We express our deepest condolences to his loved ones. May he rest in peace!