The chairman of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee Stefka Kostadinova was very strong in her speech before the General Assembly of the headquarters. Kostadinova, who has been managing the BOC since 2005, is one of the two candidates for the chairmanship, BTA reported.
Her rival is the chairman of the Bulgarian Shooting Union Vessela Lecheva.
In front of the delegates, Kostadinova said that the last two Olympic cycles were the most successful for Bulgarian sport in the new century and if she is elected for a sixth term, she will maintain the current management direction.
"The last two Olympics were the most successful for Bulgarian sport in the new century. It is an honor for Bulgaria to have two representatives in my person and that of Vessela Lecheva in the commissions of the International Olympic Committee. I hope that in the future we will have other representatives.
This year we will already have a new and modern building of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee. It is located near the monument of Patriarch Evtimii. This building, which will be used under a ten-year contract, is new, modern and meets all the most modern trends. It is the home that the Bulgarian Olympic movement deserves.
As of this year, we also have new partners and sponsors. We continued our partnership with many organizations, but we are close to attracting a new one. We are not on the state budget. I want to be brief. The Winter Olympics are knocking on the door. I wish success to the winter federations and to qualify as many competitors as possible in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo next year. I wish success to the Summer Federations and that they please us with many more medals from Los Angeles 2028, as they did in Tokyo and Paris.
Even if you don't choose me, I will still help. I wish success to Vessela and may the best man win", concluded Kostadinova.
The President of the Bulgarian Shooting Union Vessela Lecheva delivered an extensive lecture to the delegates of the BOC General Assembly.
In her speech, Lecheva pointed out the need for reforms in the BOC, as well as presented her ideas on how the Olympic movement should develop. According to her, at the moment the BOC is not actively present enough in public life and is not doing what is necessary to follow the latest trends in world sport.
"Today is an important day for the BOC. The election is a chance to move forward. I was wondering how to start this speech, but this morning I was impressed by the speech of Thomas Bach, who opened the session of the International Olympic Committee. He turned to the legacy that Athens and Greece left and said: "Thank you to Greece for giving democracy and the Olympic movement". It is no coincidence that for more than 100 years now the Olympic organization has been the most influential sports organization, because it adheres to its principles.
My personal impression of today's meeting was to expect something else. The first value is excellence - to show that when you work hard, you can reach the top. The second is respect. For me, this has always been the most important. And the third is friendship, camaraderie. There is no other sphere, except for sports, in which you are rivals in the morning and friends in the evening.
I will say a few words about myself. I have a long sports biography and I have my achievements. But I closed this page in 2000. I have been in the executive and legislative branches. I have been the chairman of the Shooting Union for two years. Losses are more important than victories. In the last 25 years, I have not stopped developing. I did not manage to achieve everything, but I gave all my love and dedication to what I was doing. There are many publications in the media that today is a battle between two competitors. This is not a competition between two personalities, but a competition for the future of the BOK. A competition between ideas. We have no right to say that this is Vesela versus Stefka. Better opportunities must move forward. I have given each of you my program.
I believe that the BOK should develop in the following directions: to interact better with all state institutions, with representatives of local authorities. Considering the unique status of the BOK, it can be a great partner for each of these organizations. I will not hide the fact that ministers and politicians change, but the BOK is the organization that unites all of Bulgarian sport. The BOC can be of assistance to the Ministry of Youth and Sports. We cannot develop if our presence is not visible.
For me, the Olympic Preparation Committee should be the leader. You are the people who can give the best ideas and let the Ministry implement them.
The other extremely important unit is sports diplomacy. There is a lot to work on here to have our representatives in all the leading committees. If I gain your trust, you will have the most loyal partner in the growth of your staff.
Sports diplomacy also requires something very important. It assists important and significant hosts. We were on the verge of hosting the Winter Youth Olympic Games several times. If I had considered it as an opportunity for the development of tourism and the economy in Bulgaria. Hosting such a forum influences the development of entire regions. I will wholeheartedly support Bulgaria hosting such major events. A destination like Bansko was known only as a village two decades ago, but now it is a world ski center.
Our presence in the media must be regular. What are the important issues before the IOC? We should not be present in the media only when there are Olympics or festivals. This is part of the importance of the Olympic Committee.
Marketing and sport are interconnected. A strong sports brand can make every Bulgarian proud. I see that individual members of the BOC are working in this direction. We need to develop a strong Olympic brand. Sponsorship should not be based on friendship, but on mutual interest.
I consider transparency and honesty to be extremely important. I find two of the programs to be the most important. One is for high technologies. I want to thank the partnership with the NSA for the conferences we held together. Everyone in the world is already talking about artificial intelligence, but for us it still sounds abstract. If we want to develop, together with the sponsors we will create a program for innovation in the federations. I know that the budgets of the federations are extremely meager, but I think that the BOC can be very useful in this area. The second program is related to the qualification and requalification of coaches. The coach must develop while working. Our coaches and referees must participate in international seminars. That is why I think that the BOC should be able to financially support the federations. Athletes who do not manage to become Olympic medalists have a hard time finding a job after their careers. I think we can do a lot for these people if we want to develop.
Last but not least, the Solidarity Fund. It will be very important for athletes and coaches who need support. I think such a fund will be beneficial for our Olympians.
I could talk a lot about each of these topics. I do not want to exhaust the patience of the delegates. If you vote for me today, I will respond with love and inspiration, so that we can be better tomorrow and develop Olympism in the way the foundations were laid in Athens.