 "‘Buried alive’: Bulgarian top-flight club mourns demise of former player on live TV, only to find out he's still alive")
A Bulgarian top-flight football club has landed in a deeply embarrassing situation after holding a minute’s silence for a former player, only to find out that he is still alive. FC Arda Kardzhali, the club that currently is fifth in the First Professional Football League standings, have since offered an apology over the incident.
Arda had mourned Petko Ganchev ahead of Sunday’s league game against Levski Sofia. The two teams lined up near the centre circle, bowing their heads in Ganchev’s honour before kick off.
The club, however, posted a message on Facebook claiming they had been misinformed before the referee’s final whistle.
“The management of PFC Arda would like to express a huge apology to the former Arda player Petko Ganchev and his relatives after the club received wrong information about his death,” the club wrote on the social networking platform.
“We wish Petko Ganchev many more years of good health and to enjoy the success of Arda.”
The fixture between the two teams at Arena Arda in the town of Kardzhali ended in a 1-1 draw.
Petko Ganchev reacts to his former club’s blunder
Ganchev, meanwhile, claimed he “poured himself a brandy” after hearing about his own death on the news, and added that he spent Sunday evening reassuring family members and friends that he will still alive and doing well.
“When I heard the terrible news, I poured myself a small brandy,” the 78-year-old former striker told BLITZ.
“I was 10 minutes late (for kick-off) because I had a personal job. While driving home, my phone started ringing a lot.
“I parked in front of our house, entered the yard and my wife greets me crying, shouting: ‘Petko, Petko, they announced on TV that you have died!’
“I could not understand what she was telling me and what had happened. Then two of my friends called me. Being buried alive is quite stressful, really,” he added.
Ganchev, who had a five-year stint with the club, added that Arda’s sporting director Ivaylo Petkov personally called him up to apologise for the incident.
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