Bozhidar Andreev, the Bulgarian weightlifter who earned a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, has announced his decision to end his sports career, citing ongoing dissatisfaction with the Bulgarian state's treatment of athletes. In a statement to Nova TV, Andreev revealed that despite receiving the long-awaited bonuses, he would no longer continue his training. “I’m stopping because I’m offended by the way things are handled,” he said. Andreev explained that for almost a year, he had been living in the gym, working tirelessly to maintain his focus, but he had grown disillusioned by the lack of state funding for competition preparation.

The delayed bonuses were paid after intervention by acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, who pressured the Minister of Sports, Georgi Glushkov, to release funds urgently. However, Andreev remains upset over the broader issue of systemic neglect and the failure to provide timely financial support for athletes. The 16-year veteran of the sport feels disrespected by the lack of measures to allocate resources for proper training ahead of major competitions. Although the bonuses were eventually paid, Andreev expressed deep frustration with how long it took and the humiliation of being left to fend for himself financially.

In addition to the financial strains, Andreev voiced his desire to start a family and shift focus to life beyond weightlifting. He also highlighted that this issue wasn’t new but had been persisting for years, with athletes regularly experiencing delayed payments. Andreev announced that he would not participate in the upcoming World Championship in Bahrain, stating that he felt mocked by the system for not being paid his bonuses on time. He is particularly critical of the 11 monthly subsidies, which were meant to support his preparation for the Olympics but remain unpaid due to bureaucratic delays. Despite this, Andreev pledged to continue supporting the sport in other ways, such as attending children’s training sessions and encouraging future generations of athletes.

Bozhidar Andreev’s coach, Plamen Bratoychev, expressed continued support for his athlete, emphasizing that their bond goes beyond the competitive realm. Bratoychev, who has been a mentor to Andreev throughout his career, stressed the importance of investing in young athletes, even when financial resources are limited. He also pointed out that many coaches in Bulgaria share this dedication, working hard to develop the country's talent despite insufficient funding.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Sports, however, contends that financial support has been allocated as needed for Andreev's training, disputing his claims. In an official statement, the Ministry outlined that they had provided over 215,000 leva to the clubs training top weightlifters, including Andreev, to cover preparations and salaries for coaches and athletes. The Ministry also clarified that Andreev had already received 104,000 leva in advance for the period from May to December 2024, in addition to the 60,000 leva prize for his European title. Despite these funds, Andreev maintains that the lack of timely payments has been disrespectful and disheartening.

Andreev's decision to retire has left many questioning the state of Bulgarian sports funding. As the country’s top athletes struggle with delayed payments and insufficient resources, Andreev’s retirement highlights the growing frustration with Bulgaria’s sports infrastructure. The sports pension Andreev will now receive as an Olympic medalist will provide him with a lifetime payment of 2,600 leva per month (1,300 euros). However, the personal financial challenges faced by athletes like Andreev, who often struggle to make ends meet, underscore a larger issue within the Bulgarian sports system.

Background:

Bozhidar Andreev’s retirement decision follows a series of financial troubles within the Bulgarian Weightlifting Federation, which is currently under scrutiny for alleged abuses involving mismanagement of funds. In April 2024, the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office began investigating the federation for discrepancies amounting to 356,000 leva. The federation’s former president, Aref Majid, is accused of financial misdeeds, and the current government has also filed receivables against the federation for substantial debts, further complicating the situation for Bulgarian weightlifters.

Bozhidar Andreev, a Bulgarian weightlifter from Sliven, secured a bronze medal in the 73 kg category at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with a total lift of 344 kg, comprising 154 kg in the snatch and 190 kg in the clean and jerk. He successfully completed all three snatch attempts, lifting 148 kg, 152 kg, and 154 kg, which placed him in fourth before moving to the clean and jerk, where he achieved lifts of 181 kg, 187 kg, and 190 kg. Andreev's performance earned him third place behind Indonesia’s Rizki Juniansyah, who won gold, and Thailand’s Weeraphon Wichuma, who took silver. This marked a significant achievement for Andreev, following his fifth-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A two-time European champion, Andreev has also won several medals at the World Championships, including a bronze in 2019.

Sources:

• Nova TV
• bTV
• Mediapool