Bulgarian soccer chief quits after racist chants mar England game
SOFIA Bulgarian soccer chief Borislav Mihaylov resigned Tuesday after fans taunted England’s black players with Nazi salutes and monkey chants during a Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia, prompting match officials to halt the game twice.
Prime Minister Boyko Borissov had called earlier for Mihaylov, a former goalkeeper and Bulgarian international, to go.
The fallout from what English FA chairman Greg Clarke described as “probably one of the most appalling nights I have seen in football” also triggered calls for urgent action from anti-racism campaigners and politicians.
A spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said European governing body UEFA — the tournament organizer — needed to do more to tackle “vile” racism.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said, however, that soccer could not solve the problem on its own and politicians must play a greater role.
“The football family — everyone from administrators to players, coaches and fans — needs to work with governments and NGOs to wage war on the racists and to marginalize their abhorrent views to the fringes of society,” the Slovenian said in a statement.
“Football associations themselves cannot solve this problem. Governments too need to do more in this area. Only by working together in the name of decency and honour will we make progress.”
Monday’s match was temporarily halted by the Croatian referee under a three-step UEFA protocol, but the stoppage did not go far enough for some anti-racism activists, who felt the England players should have walked off.
Anti-racism organization Kick It Out called for Bulgaria to be booted out.
UEFA said it had opened disciplinary proceedings against Bulgaria on a number of charges, including racist behaviour.