Bulgarian Wrestling Federation reports suspected Russian sanctions evasion

The Bulgarian Wrestling Federation has referred a report to the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office and the embassies of the United States, the United Kingdom, and EU member states regarding the alleged violation of sanctions against Russia. The report follows an internal investigation into the transfer of a Russian wrestler who gained the right to compete for Bulgaria at the start of 2026.

The investigation focuses on the circumstances surrounding the change of the athlete's sporting nationality, specifically a compensation payment of 210,000 CHF. The Federation alleges that this payment may have been made using cryptocurrency to circumvent EU financial restrictions. The probe also examines the potential involvement of a Bulgarian wrestling club and a Bulgarian businessman, a former member of the Federation's management board, in these financial operations.

The Federation noted that the international nature of the case carries significant sanction and financial risks. The findings were corroborated through correspondence with United World Wrestling (UWW), which maintains strict adherence to the EU sanctions regime.