Bulgarian Football Union and Police address violence in Gorna Oryahovitsa

The Bulgarian Football Union (BFS) and the Ministry of Interior organized a meeting for approximately 250 young footballers from the Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa youth academy. The initiative focused on respect, discipline, and the prevention of aggression in football.

The session was prompted by an unacceptable attack on a referee following a match against FC National. During the meeting, BFS officials Kamen Aleksiev and Georgi Bizhev emphasized the importance of club responsibility, teamwork, and discipline.

Referee and psychologist Georgi Davidov led a discussion on managing anger and impulsive reactions, noting that while anger is a human emotion, it does not justify violence. The session included practical exercises where players practiced de-escalation techniques, such as the “stop – step back – seek support” method, to handle controversial officiating.