Bulgarian Wrestling Federation leadership dispute

A dispute has emerged between the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC) and Stanka Zlateva, the president of the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation, regarding her exclusion from a BOC General Assembly in March 2025. The BOC denied Zlateva’s claims of wrongful exclusion, stating that registry records indicated she was not registered as president until after the assembly had occurred. The BOC further noted that legal proceedings had been terminated following an electronic request by an attorney authorized by Zlateva.

Zlateva has since refused to resign from her position, citing ‘brutal pressure’ on her and her team. An extraordinary General Assembly is scheduled for October 17 in Sofia to address the potential removal of the President and Management Board, the election of new leadership, and the adoption of a new statute.

Amidst the leadership struggle, a commercial lawsuit was filed on September 4, 2026, seeking to declare the federation insolvent. Zlateva has contested this, asserting that no court has established valid debts and suggesting the legal actions are linked to the previous administration and certain members of the Management Board.