Bulgarian Football Union President Under Investigation for Match-Fixing Allegations

The Prosecutor’s Office is actively looking into the accusations against Mihaylov to ascertain their validity. Recent media reports have suggested possible links between the soccer president and foreign black market lottery operators, commonly known as black lottery. This is not the first time Mihaylov has faced such allegations, with a history of reported connections to controversial figures involved in match-fixing scandals.

A previous investigation by BIRD.bg in 2011 revealed Mihaylov's association with Tan Seet Eng, also known as Dan Tan, a notorious match-fixing specialist from Singapore. This ongoing scrutiny raises questions about Mihaylov's involvement in questionable activities throughout his tenure.

The current investigation follows a massive protest in Sofia, where soccer fans expressed their discontent with Mihaylov’s almost two-decade-long presidency. Fans accuse him of leading Bulgarian soccer into a decline and making unpopular decisions, such as barring audiences at the Bulgaria vs. Hungary European Qualifiers match.

Opponents claim that Mihaylov's decisions aim to "hide" the game to prevent on-stadium protests. In response, Mihaylov suggested that the protests might be orchestrated by his main competitor, Dimitar Berbatov, implying that paid actors were involved. Despite being unable to provide evidence, Mihaylov insisted that the recent decisions of the BFU have "saved lives" and refused to take responsibility for the damages caused by the protests.