Close to two million leva will be allocated by the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC) to Bulgarian athletes in 2007 for their preparations for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The decision was taken at BOC’s general meeting on April 24 near Sofia.

Expenses in 2007 would be 1.67 million leva, BOC estimated, and at the end of the year a surplus of 178 000 leva might be achieved. The budget for 2007 was finally voted on at 1.835 million leva. For 2006 the profit of BOC came to 36 000 leva, BOC chairperson Stefka Kostadinova, an Olympic gold medallist and holder of the world record in high jump, told delegates. A total of 54 delegates out of 75 were present at the meeting.

Surprisingly, Hristo Stoichkov, who abandoned the position of Bulgaria’s national team football coach on April 10, was elected as a BOC member. Unfortunately, he was not present because his new team, Celta Vigo, had a game in Spain’s championship. In addition to Stoichkov, 12 new members entered the BOC. Among them were ice dance world champion Albena Denkova, gymnast and Olympic medallist Yordan Yovchev, head of the State Youth and Sports Agency Vessela Lecheva and short track Olympic medallist Evgenia Radanova.

Kostadinova said that President Georgi Purvanov supported the idea for Bulgaria to apply for host of the Winter Olympics once again. Bulgaria had applied to host the 2014 winter games, but failed to be among the short-listed candidates. If a European city wins, Bulgaria will refrain from applying for the next games, which should be held outside Europe.

Patrick Hickey, president of the European Olympic Committees, was guest of honour at the meeting. Arriving in Bulgaria on April 23, Hickey said that Kostadinova was most worthy to become a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). At present, Bulgaria is not represented at a top level in the IOC, after Ivan Slavkov was expelled three years ago for alleged corruption