A top-tier Bulgarian soccer team has issued an apology after mistakenly holding a minute’s silence for a former player who is, in fact, alive.
Before their match against Levski Sofia in Bulgaria’s First League on Sunday, both teams stood at the center of the field to honor Arda Kardzhali’s former player, Petko Ganchev.
However, during the game, Arda issued a statement on Facebook apologizing to Ganchev, explaining that they had received incorrect information regarding his death.
“The management of PFC Arda would like to express a heartfelt apology to former player Petko Ganchev and his family after the club was misinformed about his passing,” the statement read.
“We wish Petko Ganchev many more years of good health and continued success with Arda.”
The match ended in a 1-1 draw between Arda and Levski Sofia.
After the incident, Ganchev shared with Bulgarian media how he learned about the mistake from his former team.
“I never miss a chance to watch Arda’s matches on TV. Against Levski, I was about 10 minutes late because I had some work to finish,” Ganchev told Bulgarian news outlet Blitz. “While I was driving home, my phone started ringing nonstop, but I couldn’t pick it up while driving.”
“When I parked in front of our house, I walked into the yard, and my wife greeted me in tears. She said, ‘Petko, Petko, they just announced on TV that you had passed!’ I couldn’t understand what she was saying or what was happening. She explained that someone had called her and said they heard the announcement before the Arda-Levski match.”
“Being told you’re ‘dead’ is a very stressful experience. Honestly, it wasn’t a pleasant situation, but in the end, we have to stay positive. When I heard the news yesterday, I poured myself a small brandy,” Ganchev said, smiling.
