By Alexander Krassimirov
August 24 – Bulgaria’s CSKA Sofia may have been relegated to the country’s amateur leagues for failing to pass the financial criteria to receive their club license, but their fans still manage to capture national headlines.
The management of CSKA have now had to urge supporters to stop singing political chants during matches. The club said they did not want to be part of any political movement in the country which later this year holds local elections.
From the start of the season, in each of their three official games, supporters of the Reds have sung political and offensive songs that are anti-Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and the President of the Bulgarian Football Union Borislav Mihaylov.
The club have released a statement saying: “The management of CSKA is infinitely grateful for your unwavering support, which you give to us at the most difficult time in the history of our glorious club. CSKA is more than a club, but has never participated and will not participate in any political actions.
“We call on all our supporters to continue to come to the stadium to support the team, sing songs and still be our 12th player. But we, the management, players and staff at the club, ask you not to interfere with chants of the names from the political life of the country. Such actions are not part of CSKA’s great idea and could not be.”
CSKA pointed out that the club is not interested in political struggles. “We have an extremely difficult and ambitious task to stabilise CSKA after years of mismanagement. Together with you we will do it. For more than 67 years CSKA has been above any political games, and this should continue like this,” added the club.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1735004359labto1735004359ofdlr1735004359owedi1735004359sni@v1735004359orimi1735004359ssark1735004359.redn1735004359axela1735004359