Football club apologises after minute's silence for player - before discovering he's still alive
19 March 2025, 09:55 | Updated: 19 March 2025, 10:11
A football club in Bulgaria has apologised after holding a minute silence for a former player who passed away....before being told he was in fact still alive.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Arda Kardzhali FC paid tribute to ex-player Petko Ganchev before a league match against Levski Sofia.
Both teams gathered at the centre circle and bowed their heads in Ganchev's memory at Sunday's game at the Arena Arda.
However, before the match concluded, Arda Kardzhali issued a statement on their Facebook page clarifying they had been misinformed.
"The management of PFC Arda would like to express a huge apology to the former Arda player Petko Ganchev and his relatives after the club received wrong information about his death," the club said.
"We wish Petko Ganchev many more years of good health and to enjoy the success of Arda."
Ganchev, 78, told television station bTV he poured himself a glass of schnapps when he heard about the mishap.
He said: "I never miss watching Arda’s matches on television,”
"This time, I was about ten minutes late for the game against Levski because I had some work to do.
Read more: High Street banking giant to shut nearly 100 branches - is yours set to close?
"As I was driving home, my phone started ringing a lot but I was driving and I didn’t dare to answer.
“I entered the garden and my wife greeted me in tears.
"She said, ‘Petko, Petko, they’ve announced on TV that you’ve passed away!’ I couldn’t understand what she was saying or what had happened.”
