Brazil-Jailed Bulgarian Champ's Mum Confident of Acquittal

The mother of Bulgaria's former Olympic weightlifting champion Galabin Boevski, who was detained in Brazil and charged with drug trafficking offenses, has fervently defended him in a rare media appearance.

"I believe tomorrow the Brazilian court will rule that he is innocent. In my last letter to Galabin I wrote that God will help him, the truth will win and he will be back home soon," Stela Boevska said in an interview for TV 7 channel on Monday morning.

Bulgaria's former Olympic weightlifting champion Galabin Boevski, allegedly recruited as a mule to smuggle cocaine from Brazil to Western Europe, faces 15 years in jail if convicted of drug charges.

The first hearing of the trial will be held on March 6.

Boevski, who was detained at the end of October in Brazil and accused of carrying 7,2 kilos of cocaine in his luggage, was officially charged in the middle of December with drug trafficking offenses.

He has vehemently denied to have been involved at any point in his life with people, dealing with drugs trafficking.

At the end of February a Brazilian supreme court ruled to keep the former champion in jail and rejected the defense request to release the client under house arrest.

According to Boevksi's mother the huge amount of drug found in the suitcases upon his arrest prevents the court to release him under house arrest.

"We hired a flat for six months as requested by the court, but this was not enough for the court to release him under house arrest. Apparently the judges feel hindered to take the step because of the big amount of drug found in the suitcases," explained Stella.

She denied reports that Boevski's family is in dire straight and is forced to sell property to cover their expenses.

"This is a lie. We have no financial difficulties," Stela Boevska said.

The 36-year-old Boevski won the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 152-pound category. He was banned for eight years by the International Weightlifting Federation for doping in 2004.