New Chair for Bulgarian Olympic Cmte

(ATR) With only a week to go before the election of a new president for the Bulgarian Olympic Committee, the acting chairman has been replaced in a battle for control of the NOC

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(ATR) With only a week to go before the election of a new president for the Bulgarian Olympic Committee, the acting chairman has been replaced in a battle for control of the NOC.

Irena Krusteva was chosen as interim head of the BOC in July following the expulsion from the IOC of Ivan Slavkov, who lost his eligibility to remain as president of the NOC.

But in a day-long meeting Monday in Sofia by the NOC board of control, Krusteva was ousted from her post and replaced with Simon Spasov. Spasov, an officer with the Bulgarian NOC, says he is not interested in seeking election to the seat permanently when the BOC votes September 28.

Krusteva, who heads the Bulgarian lottery, was said to be caught in a power struggle with the Vasela Lecheva, the head of the National Sports Council. The two most recently had conflicts over whether the government would have a decision-making role in Sofia?s bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

One source in Sofia says it would not be surprising to see Krusteva forced out of her post at the lottery as well, as the job carries considerable influence as a result of the money that the lottery takes in.

Still not certain are the candidates who will seek the BOC presidency on a permanent basis.

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