Bulgarian Football Union technical director Georgi Ivanov under fire for suggesting footballers 'with other skin colour' won't play for the national team
- He said 'a foreign player, with a foreign passport, other skin colour, won't play'
- Georgi Ivanov received backlash for the comments but stood by what he said
- Former Bulgaria captain Stiliyan Petrov said he was 'shocked and saddened'
Bulgarian Football Union technical director Georgi Ivanov has come under fire for commenting on the skin colour of players that could play for the national team.
The increase in foreign players in Bulgarian football over the years has led to debate over whether local talent is being blocked from improving its game.
Ivanov, via Balkan Insight, took the stance that foreign footballers 'won't play' for the national team, before going onto comment on the skin colour of players.

Bulgarian FA director Georgi Ivanov received criticism for remarks he made about skin colour

He said 'a foreign player, with a foreign passport, other skin colour, won't play' while he is chief
'I stand behind my words that my wish is to watch Bulgaria with Bulgarian players', he said. 'As long as I'm director, a foreign player, with a foreign passport, other skin colour, won't play.
'I don't want players from other countries to replace Bulgarian ones. Some countries might do this but this is to me is a faulty practice.'
Ivanov, a former striker, retired in 2009 and has mostly worked in coaching since, briefly taking charge of the national team in 2022.
Bulgaria's national team is currently managed by Mladen Krstajic, who is from Serbia.
In 2019, the Bulgarian Football Union was charged by UEFA for racist chanting during a game against England.

President Borislav Mihaylov resigned in 2019 after the Union was charged for racist chanting
President of the Union, Borislav Mihaylov, handed in his resignation following the incident, but withdrew it in 2021 and is back in post.
On Ivanov's words, via Sofia Globe, former national team captain Stiliyan Petrov said: 'I am truly shocked and saddened by the words of the technical director of our football federation, which I condemn in the strongest possible terms.
'That someone could believe such things is completely wrong, but a senior leader of an organisation with such responsibility and influence to thinks such discriminatory speech is acceptable is just the height of absurdity.
'It reflects the rotten and ignorant culture that exists among our football leaders today. Football should be for everyone.'

Former Bulgaria midfielder and captain Stiliyan Petrov has criticised Ivanov for his comments
Ivanov has since said: 'It is definitely not a matter of racial or ethnic discrimination.
'My principled position is clear. Footballers of Bulgarian origin and Bulgarian self-awareness should play in the Bulgarian national team, regardless of whether they were born in the country or not.
'I stand by my words that my desire is to watch Bulgaria with Bulgarian players and I believe that the football public will agree with that.
'I am aware that my line can be interpreted in all sorts of ways, especially when it is taken out of context, but for me it is important to distinguish between club and national teams.
'While in club you can transfer players from all over the world, something which I also did as a director. In the nationals it is about a cause that cannot be bought or faked.'
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