Bulgarian Olympic Committee supports karate's return to Olympics

Vesela Lecheva, President of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC), has expressed support for the return of karate to the Olympic program. This commitment was made during a meeting in Sofia with Antonio Espinos Ortueta, President of the World Karate Federation (WKF).

During the discussions, which included Bulgarian Minister of Youth and Sports Encho Keryazov and Olympic champion Ivet Goranova, Ortueta stated that the sport is campaigning to be reinstated for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. Lecheva emphasized that supporting karate is a vital mission for the BOC, noting the sport's popularity among thousands of children and its connection to Bulgaria's Olympic success through Goranova.

Lecheva also voiced support for Goranova to participate in international karate governing structures, arguing that Bulgarian representation in global sports organizations brings prestige and influence to the country. She cited the recent successful effort to keep parallel giant slalom in the Olympic program as a precedent for how athlete and federation support can influence Olympic decisions.