The Union Cycliste Internationale’s (UCI) Ethics Commission – a body acting independently of the International Federation’s administration – announces its decisions in cases involving two senior officials of the Bulgarian Cycling Federation (BCF): President Mr Evgeniy Balev Gerganov, and Vice-President Mr Danail Petrov Angelov.
Proceedings followed several complaints submitted to the UCI Ethics Commission alleging serious ethical violations and repeated governance issues within the BCF. Based on the elements brought to its attention, the Commission concluded that both individuals had committed several infringements to the UCI Code of Ethics.
Mr Gerganov and Mr Angelov were both found to have acted in breach of articles 5 (General principles), 6.4 (Protection of physical and mental integrity) and 7.4 (Conflicts of interest) of the Code. Mr Angelov was also found to have breached article 8.1 (Manipulation of cycling events) of the Code.
The infractions to article 5 of the Code related to the President and Vice-President’s abuse of authority due to repeated actions aimed at consolidating personal control over the National Federation, in particular, by modifying internal structures and retaliating against opponents, and, generally, placing their own interests above the applicable rules.
Similarly, both were found to have failed to address situations of conflicts of interest (article 7.4 of the Code) appropriately and to have taken part in a considerable number of decisions in which they had personal and conflicting interests.
Breaches of the provisions related to the protection of physical and mental integrity [article 6.4 of the Code read together with article 2.1 (Psychological abuse) of Appendix 1] relate to incidents of verbal assault and intimidation towards members of the cycling community in which officials of the National Federation were involved, including Mr Angelov himself, and which neither Mr Gerganov nor Mr Angelov took any measures to prevent from occurring nor reacted thereto. Moreover, Mr Gerganov’s lack of action was considered as a breach of the obligation to report pursuant to article 3.1 of Appendix 1 of the Code.
Mr Angelov was also found to have violated article 8.1 of the Code for his involvement in irregular modifications of start lists and facilitating timing anomalies in official competitions, granting undue advantages to certain athletes and undermining sporting fairness.
In light of these violations of the UCI Code of Ethics and their respective involvement and responsibility as elected officials of the Bulgarian Cycling Federation, the UCI Ethics Commission decided to impose the following sanctions:
Mr Gerganov: a fine of CHF 10,000 and a two-year ban from holding any position within the administration of the BCF or any other entity or governing body in cycling, and from organising or holding any position as an official, event organiser, or other role related to the organisation of any cycling event;
Mr Angelov: a fine of CHF 5,000 and a two-year ban under the same terms.
The UCI takes note of the decisions of the Ethics Commission (which remain subject to appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport - CAS) and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of cycling.