STUDY ON CAREER SELECTION BY FORMER ELITE ATHLETES

BACKGROUND The concept of “dual career” arose from the need to help athletes in planning time management among sports, education, acquisition of financial means and social life. The athlete’s career is carried out in a given period, relatively short one, and for elite athletes this period is even shorter. In this particular context the question arising is what happens after sports career? The European Commission White Paper on Sport (2007) states the important contribution of sports to economic and social cohesion and the formation of more integrated societies. Physical education and sports are a factor in education, health and social integration in any society. Brief summary of EU POLICIES REGARDING DUAL CAREER IN SPORT

General policy documents

• The Communication on Sport, adopted on 18 January 2011, that sets out the Commission’s ideas for EU-level action in the field of sport1.

• Study on Sports Agents in the EU (November 2009) • European Council Declaration on Sport (Annex 5 to the Presidency Conclusions of the

Brussels European Council of 11-12 December 2008) • European Parliament resolution of 8 May 2008 on the White Paper on Sport

(2007/2261(INI)) • The White Paper on Sport adopted in July 2007 gives the Commission's strategic

orientation on the role of sport in the European Union2. • European Parliament resolution of 29 March 2007 on the future of professional football

in Europe (2006/2130(INI)) • Council Declaration on the specific characteristics of sport and its social function in

Europe (Nice 2000)

1 The Communication is accompanied by a Staff Working Document on the free movement of professional and amateur sportspeople in the EU. 2 Competition issues are addressed in more detail in the Staff Working Document “The EU and Sport: Background and Context” (SEC(2007) 935) and particularly in Annex I to that document “Sport and EU Competition Rules”.

• Declaration on sport (number 29) annexed to the Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts.

• The Helsinki Report on Sport: Report from the Commission to the European Council with a view to safeguarding current sports structures and maintaining the social function of sport within the Community framework, 10.12.1999

Articles • The application of Articles 81 and 82 EC in the sport sector3 • L'application des règles antitrust aux règles sportives by Gianfranco Rocca4. • Application of EC antitrust rules in the sport sector5. Speeches • Sport media rights (2006) by Torben Toft, European Commission • La Politique européenne de Concurrence et le Sport (2002) by Jean-François Pons6,

European Commission. • Sport and Competition. Excerpts of a speech given by Mario Monti7, on 17 April 2000

One of the most important topics in the field of sports is the quality of education and professional training for performance and elite athletes. The EU supports and promotes the European objectives regarding sporting issues related to its social and educational functions, stressing the importance of developing a dual career success.

3 Competition Policy Newsletter, No 3 Autumn 2007, page 6. 4 Former Deputy Director-General, Competition Directorate-General, European Commission. [L'Observateur de Bruxelles No 62 Septembre 2005, publication de la Délégation des Barreaux de France]. 5 an update (article in the Competition Policy Newsletter No 3 Autumn 2005, page 72). 6 former Deputy Director-General, Competition Directorate-General. 7 European Commissioner for Competition Policy.

CASE STUDIES AND SUCCESSFUL STORIES OF LIFE AFTER AN ELITE SPORT CAREER

The withdrawing of athletes from performance activity constitutes a stage that often brings difficulties regarding the socio-professional integration and management of resources obtained from the athletic career. Analysing what the media presents, bringing to the public eye, more often, elite athletes and not so much performance athletes, we observe that the transition phase from sports career to the labour market is a phenomenon that poses problems among athletes. The success of the athletes concerned also about their professional training and personal development at the same time with the sports training, confirms the value of professional education and training in ensuring the continuity of life after withdrawing from sports career.

ROMANIA

• Paul CIOBĂNEL: former rugby player of the “golden generation”, diagnosed with bone cancer at the age of 37, died at the age of 75, in 2014. He has coped with all the challenges of life, fulfilled by an impeccable sports and professional career, which continued to be built even after amputation of his left leg. After a few months of the fight with illness, he returned to his sports activities, moment coinciding with the encounters of Romanian rugby team (which he was part of) with the major European powers. More than 35 years, he has been wearing a prosthesis, which incidentally or not, earned him the position of director of the factory Romhandicap, where these devices were manufactured, where he modified over 30,000 cars so that they can be used by disabled people. source, photo: https://frr.ro/2014/11/13/s-a-stins-din-viata-paul-ciobanel/

• Nadia Elena COMĂNECI, born November 12, 1961, is a Romanian Olympic gold medallist who, at the age of 14 in the Olympic games during the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, became the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0. In all, she received six more perfect 10s in Montreal as well as three gold medals. Four years later, she won two gold medals at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. She won nine Olympic medals and four World Championships medals during her career. Comăneci is one of the world's best-known gymnasts and is credited with popularizing the sport around the globe. In 2000, she was named

as one of the Athletes of the 20th Century by the Laureus World Sports Academy. She has lived in the United States since 1989 and is married to American Olympic gold medalist Bart CONNER. Comăneci is a well-known figure in the world of gymnastics, serving as the honorary president of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation, the honorary president of the Romanian Olympic Committee, the sports ambassador of Romania, and as a member of the International Gymnastics Federation Foundation. She and Conner own the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy, the Perfect 10 Production Company, several sports equipment shops, and are the editors of International Gymnast Magazine. She is also still involved with the Olympic Games. During the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, one of her perfect-10 Montreal uneven bars routines was featured in a commercial for Adidas. In addition, both Comăneci and her husband Bart Conner provided television commentary for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Prior to the 2016 Summer Olympics games in Rio de Janeiro, Comăneci appeared in a TIDE advertisement called “The Evolution of Power”. She also offered daily analysis of the 2016 games, for the late night show “É Campeão”, broadcast on Brazil's SporTV. In addition, Comăneci is highly involved in fundraising for a number of charities. She personally funded the construction and operation of the Nadia Comăneci Children's Clinic, a clinic in Bucharest that provides low-cost and free medical and social support to Romanian children. In 2003, the Romanian government appointed her as an honorary consul general of Romania to the United States to deal with bilateral relations between the two nations. In addition, both Comăneci and Conner are involved with The Special Olympics. source, photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadia_Com%C4%83neci

• Mihai Claudiu COVALIU, born 5 November 1977 in Brasov, is a Romanian retired sabre fencer, Olympic champion in 2000 and world champion in 2005, and coach of the Romanian men’s sabre team. He was also president of the Romanian Fencing Federation, until winning the Presidency of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, on the 15th of November 2016. After Beijing, Covaliu retired to become the head coach of the Romanian sabre team. Under his training, Romania won the silver medal in the 2009 European Championships at Plovdiv, then the gold and the silver medal at the World Championships in Antalya. For this performance, Covaliu was made a knight in the Order of Faithful Service. Cosmin HANCEANU and Romania earned the silver at the 2010 World Fencing Championships in Paris, and Romania finished second in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. Covaliu was afterwards promoted to the rank of officer of the Order of Faithful Service. In April 2013, Covaliu was elected president of the Romanian Fencing Federation after incumbent Ana PASCU decided not to run again. He remained the coach of the men’s sabre team, who earned the silver and the bronze individual medal at the 2013 World Fencing Championships in Budapest. The same year, Covaliu was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the International Fencing Federation. Source,photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihai_Covaliu

• Ivan PATZAICHIN, born 26 November 1949, is a Romanian canoe

racing coach and retired sprint canoeist. He took part in all major competitions between 1968 and 1984, including five consecutive Olympics, and won seven Olympic and 22 world championship medals, including four Olympic gold medals. This makes him the most decorated Romanian canoeist of all times. He later worked as a canoeing coach, attending five more Olympics in this capacity. In 1990 he was awarded the Olympic Order, and in 2006 he was included in the list of 100 Greatest Romanians of all time by a nationwide poll. He is nowdays considered the Champion-promoter of the Danube Delta (“I want to reconnect the people with the nature and to have as key instrument in this endeavour the canotca. Canotca will become a Delta messenger”. Outstanding sportsman, successful coach and entrepreneur with initiative Ivan Patzaichin defines himself as a “normal, lucky man”. In an exclusive interview for the BusinessAge magazine, Ivan Patzaichin talks about social entrepreneurship, about the Delta and Romania, the project by which he promotes Romania and the unobtrusive tourism. Dissemination: His SUCCESS STORY was published on the 17th of March 2016, written by DC4AC – RO and had 152 Views. Source, photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Patzaichin

• Gabriela SZABO, former Minister of Youth and Sport, and PR Manager of Global HR Company ADECCO, currently Manager of Bucharest Municipal Sporting Club, drew attention, in an article in 2012, about the difficulties of labour market integration of athletes saying that: “the employment opportunities for an athlete are reduced and the challenges increasingly great... many athletes, after they had glorious sports career, cannot find a job and the employers are sceptical about their professional skills”8. Gabriela SZABO, born 14 November 1975), is a retired Romanian runner. She competed in the 1500 m and 5000 m events at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, and won a gold, a silver and a bronze medal. Szabo is a three-time world champion. Throughout her entire career she was coached by Zsolt Gyongyossy, whom she eventually married. In May 2005, she retired from competitions. She remains the European record holder in the 3000 m. As of 19 August 2013 she held the honorific title of Romanian Tourism Ambassador, together with other 7 cultural and sport personalities of Romania. On 5 March 2014, she was appointed Minister of Youth and Sport. During her sporting career she embodied the image of Nike, among other global brands. In addition, Szabo is involved in supporting for a number of charity and social causes. source, photo: https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriela_Szab%C3%B3

8 Source: http://www.libertatea.ro/detalii/articol/gabriela-szabo-program-de-reconversie-profesionala-a-sportivilor-adecco-cosr-425638.html

• The champion who faces financial problems: Mircea TUTOVAN, Romania’s former glory in

volleyball in the ‘70s, called “the gunner of Europe”, due to his strong services and devastating attacks, Emeritus Master of Sports, winner of nine national championships, of one Cup of Cups and of one Champions Cup, core of the national team, where he played over 300 matches and scored two 3rd places at the European Championship”… he came to live modest and anonymous in a rented apartment, with a military pension and allowance. TUTOVAN falls into the pattern of the champion and a system that failed to effectively manage the benefits of sport. source, photo: http://romanialibera.ro/sport/fotbal/drama-campionului-tutovan-389971

• Ion ȚIRIAC, also known as the “Brasov Bulldozer” is

a Romanian businessman and former professional tennis and ice hockey player. Țiriac is the developer and owner of the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament. In 2013 he was elected as contributor into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He has currently been managing French tennis player Lucas Pouille since December 2016. After his withdraw as a professional tennis player, Țiriac became a businessman in Germany. Following the collapse of communism in Romania, he started numerous businesses and investments back home. In 1990, he founded Țiriac Bank, the first private bank in post-Communist Romania. Between that and several other enterprises (retail, insurance, auto leasing, auto dealerships, airlines, etc.), his fortune was estimated at over US$900 million in 2005. Ion Țiriac became the first Romanian to enter Forbes List of billionaires in the 2007 Forbes rankings, placing number 840 in the world. His wealth was estimated at $1.0 billion as of 2010, according to the magazine. In 2010 TOP 300 Capital declared Ion Țiriac the richest man in Romania with a wealth estimated at €1.5–€1.6 billion ($2–$2.2 billion). source, photo: https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_%C8%9Airiac

• Mihail MAJEARU, born 15 July 1960 in Galati, is a former Romanian football right back, who played for Steaua Bucuresti, FCM Galati, FC Inter Sibiu, Panachaiki Patra, Gloria Bistrita, Corvinul Hunedoara, CFR Timisoara, and won the European Cup with Steaua Bucureşti in 1986, despite missing his penalty in the shootout in the final. He is currently in charge with a youth team at Steaua Bucuresti. On 25 March 2008 he was decorated by the President of Romania, Traian BASESCU, with The Order of “Merit in Sport”, class II for his part in winning the 1986 European Cup Final.

Majearu, one of the most beloved players in Steaua’s big team, lives from one day to the other in a community near Bucharest. A year and a half ago (source, 14th of April 2010)9, he was evicted from his home in Bucharest. Now he commutes daily and works the field on his only free day of the week. He debuted in Division A on 12th of August 1979, at FCM Galati - Poli Timisoara (1-3). He arrived in Ghencea (F.C. Steaua stadium) in 1981, where he played for 7 years. He won 9 trophies with Steaua: the European Champions Cup (1986), the Supercup of Europe (1987), 4 national titles, 3 Romanian Cups. He also played the Intercontinental Cup (0-1 with River Plate, 1986) and a CEC semifinal against Benfica (0-0 and 0-2, 1988). He played 198 matches and scored 7 goals for Steaua in Division A. He checked 17 matches in the red-blue (the colours of Steaua) T-shirt in the European Cups. He has only once played in the national team for which he scored a goal. Majear’s route in the last 20 years: In the summer of 1988 he left Steaua after playing the Champions Cup semifinals and played two years at Inter Sibiu. He later checked a year abroad at Panahaiki Patras (GREECE), after returning to Sibiu. The end of the professional player career caught him at Gloria Bistrita (1994-1995) and then at Corvinul Hunedoara. From 1995 to 2005 he coached a Children and Junior team from F.C. Steaua. For 3 years he trains at the “Marius Lăcătuş” Football School. source, photo: http://www.stiuscorul.ro/stiri/487/mihail-majearu-da-scorurile-etapei-.html

9 http://www.gsp.ro/gsp-special/superreportaje/soarta-unui-mare-fotbalist-mihail-majearu-traieste-de-pe-o-zi-pe-alta-185586.html , Consulted 2017.

SLOVENIA

Franci PETEK, 1971, Ski jumper

His first international success in ski jumping reached in 1989, when the team Match Youth World

Championship in Norwegian Vangu (Hamarju) together with Goran Janusom, Marjan Kroparjem and

Primoz diggers won the silver medal in the team competition. A year later, in Slovakian Štrbskem

Plesu together with Damjan Fras, Sašo Komovec and Tomaz Knafelj won the bronze medal. In

February 1990 in Engelberg, Switzerland, won the gold medal in World Championship where he

shared first place with Arijem-Pekko Nikkolo (Finland). His greatest success reached on 10 February

1991 on the World Championships in Italy Predazzo (Val di Fiemme) when he became the world

champion on the large hill. The 1991/92 season was one of the few jumpers who did not switch to

the new scissor style, although it is the Olympic Games in 1992 in Albertville, where he was the first

flagship in the history of independent Slovenia, to win excellent 8th place in the large jump and sixth

in the team competition. After the fall in 1995 he decided to finish jumping career and devoted

himself to the study of geography. In 1998 he finished the undergraduate studies and in 2001 he

received his master degree. In 2001he finished PhD at the University of Ljubljana and from 1998

onwards he is a researcher at the Geographical Institute Anton Melika. In 1991 he received the

Bloudek Award – the highest award of the Republic of Slovenia for achievements in the area of sport.

In 2004 he received award from the Association of the Geographical Societies of Slovenia. In March

2017 was elected as Director of the Ski Association of Slovenia. With Petra Majdič he is the co-

ambassador of Planica. He also graduated from montessori pedagogy at Seton Montessori Institute

Chichago (USA) and he is a director of montessori kindergarden ˝Gorenjska and Vrhniška hiša otrok˝.

Sara ISAKOVIČ, 1988, Swimmer

In 2001 she began to train in Radovljica club Žito Gorenjka; the first big success experienced at the

youth European championship in 2003, when she won fourth place in the 100 meters freestyle

swimming. In 2004 she won the Junior Championship at the 100 and 200 meters freestyle and also

set the world record in 200 meters freestyle for the youth championships which get her a place in the

Slovenian national team at the Olympics in Athens. In the Mediterranean Games she won two silver

medals. In 2005 at the World Championships in Montreal (Canada) became the first Slovenian

swimmer who reached the finals of the world championships at the end she won the fifth place. In

2008 at the European Championship in Edinhoven she won the gold medal. At the Summer Olympics

in Beijing, she won an Olympic medal in the 200 meters freestyle. After the 2008 Beijing Olympics,

she moved to Berkeley, California, where she attended University of California Berkeley and

represented the Cal Women's swim team. In her four years of being a student-athlete, she won three

National Team Titles and individually won the 100 butterfly at NCAA's during her senior year at

university. She graduated with a degree in Psychology, in May 2013. Afterwards she moved to Dubai,

where she is building her career in performance psychology and helping performers of all types

achieve their maximum potential.

Rajmond DEBEVEC, 1963, Shooter

Rajmond started practicing shooting sports at the age of 8 in 1975 she became member of Shooting

club Olimpija, Ljubljana. After getting some great results quickly, he became a member of the

national team and won his first medals at the air rifle European Championships at the age of 17. At

the age of 21, Rajmond qualified for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. After that point he

became a professional shooter and dedicated most of his time and energy to shooting sport. During

his career he has won 3 Olympic medals (1 Gold, 2 Bronze), since 1984 participated in 8 consecutive

Olympic Games, won 67 individual medals at World Cups (26 of them Gold), won 5 crystal globes at

World Cup Finals, won 5 medals at World Championships and 25 medals at European Championships

(in 6 different events - air rifle, small bore rifle 3-positions and prone, full bore rifle 3-positions and

prone and full bore standard rifle), he has also set numerous world records for example world record

for 50m rifle three position with 1186 points, which he set in Munich at the World Cup Final in 1992.

He also holds the Olympic record (1177 points) for the same event, which he set during his gold

medal-winning performance at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He has won two world military

championships in 300m three positions in 2006 and 300m rapid fire rifle in 2005 and 2008.[4] He has

also competed in World Cup events for crossbow, air rifle, small-bore rifle, and big bore rifle. In 1985

he graduated from economics at the University of Ljubljana. Since 1991, he is employed at the

Ministry for defence of the Republic of Slovenia as an instructor for sport shooting. He also owns the

store for shooting sports.

ŠPELA PRETNAR, 1973, Alpine skier

During her career in the World Cup she stepped on the podium for the winners thirteen times –

among this achievement she was six time gold winner. In the 1999/2000 season she won the small

crystal globe in the special slalom standings.

After finishing her ski career, she was employed as a sports journalist on a well-known commercial

television station POP TV, where she worked until February 2009. From September 2016 is employed

in the department for public relations under umbrella Slovenian Ski Federation Ski Association. She is

also working in the field of umbrella projects and promotional activities.

Brigita BUKOVEC, 1970, Hurdler

Brigita is still a national record holder in the 100 m hurdling (12.59), 60 m hurdling (7.78) and 50 m

hurdling (6.70). In the years 1996 and 1997 has been declared the best athlete of the year and in

1995 received the Bloudek Award - the highest award of the Republic of Slovenia for achievements in

the area of sport. In 1996 she received a title the Slovenian Women of the year. Her biggest

achievements are: silver medal in Olympic game in 1996 Atlanta (USA), silver medal in European

championship 1996 Stockholm (Sweden), and 1998 Budapest (Hungary); bronze medal European

youth championship 1989 Varaždin (Croatia), bronze medal World indoor championship 1995

Barcelona (Spain). After finishing her sport carrier Brigita started with the today very successful

private athlete school “Športno društvo Brigita Bukovec”.

SLOVAKIA

ITALY

Alessandro MARZOLI, former athlete of basketball, he studied Law while playing and becomes expert also in the field of sporting law. Today, he is president of the Italian Association of Basketball Player and of the UBE - Union Basketteurs d’ Europe;

Filippo CORTI, still active football player and member of the Italian

Association of Football Player. He has a degree in International

Relationships and represent the Association of Football Player all over

the world.

Micaela IMPERATORI, former athlete of the Italian Gym National

Team, she participated in Seul Olympic Games. After retiring, she

becomes coach for the Gym Italian Team and after participating in

the Adecco project for dual career (Athletes Career Programs), she

enters in the Adecco Foundation, where today she is a manager.

Ass. Antonio ROSSI, former athlete of kayak, he took part in five Olympic Games, since Barcelona to Athens 2004: he wins three gold, one silver and one bronze medal and several other at all levels. Now he is council member in the city of Milan and he deals with Sport and Youth Affairs.

Francesca COLA, is a former athlete of track and field: she wins

lots of national title in 100, 200 and 400 mt and took part also in

several international competitions. She has a degree in political

sciences and is member of the Regional Council of the Olympic

Committee. He started a project on dual career of athletes with

Olympic Committee in Lombardy, called Sport&Work.

Daniele GILARDONI, is a former athlete of rowing, eleven times World champion in quadruple scull. He took a degree in political sciences and now collaborates with Olympic Committee of Lombardy, also for the project Sport&Work; he also coach in Italy and abroad.

GREECE Konstantinos KENTERIS born in Mytilene on July 11, 1973 is a former Greek athlete. He won gold medals in the 200 metres at the 2000 Summer Olympics, the 2001 World Championships in Athletics and the 2002 European Championships in Athletics, making him the only European sprinter (along with Linford Christie) to win the gold medal in all three major competitions and the only European World Champion in

the 200 metres races. Additionally, he has won two gold, three silver and two bronze medals in the European Cup, as well as three gold medals in the 200 metres at the Athens Grand Prix Tsiklitiria. He is also a 14-time golden medalist at the Greek Athletics Championships and a five-time golden medalist at the Greek Indoor Athletics Championships. After finishing his sport career in 2004, Konstantinos Kenteris chose to follow a quite different career path, he followed tourism. Konstantinos Kenteris and his wife established a luxurious spa hotel in West Greece, in a village called Pappigo.

Athanasia TSOUMELEKA born January 2, 1982 is a Greek race walker, who won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Until 2003 Tsoumeleka was a largely unknown athlete, and she only finished seventh at the World Championships that year. To everybody's great surprise, she won the Olympic gold medal race held in her own country ahead of Russia's Olimpiada Ivanova (silver) and Australia's Jane Saville (bronze). In the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games,

she finished 9th in 20 km walk. After the end of the Games, a urine sample she had given on August 6 tested positive for erythropoietin, when subjected to a new test for CERA. Tsoumeleka expressed doubts about the validity of the procedure, and then announced her immediate retirement from the sport. On April 29, 2009 it was announced that Tsoumeleka had tested positive for CERA in a test on a blood sample provided during the 2008 Olympics. Her "B" sample also tested positive for CERA. On

November 18, 2009 the International Olympic Committee decided to disqualify Tsoumeleka from the Women's 20 km Walk event of the 2008 Olympic Games where she placed 9th. These days, Athanasia Tsoumeleka, after having two children, works as a coach at Running Club in Holmes Place, a famous gym in Athens.

Mike ZAMBIDIS "Iron Mike" born July 15, 1980 is a professional Greek kickboxer and martial artist. He is a 16 time World Champion, and is the current SUPERKOMBAT Middleweight Champion also competing in the K-1 MAX. Started training in martial arts before he was nine years Zambidis and his best friend. He has trained in Shotokan, Kickboxing, Boxing, Muay Thai, Wrestling and Pankration. He started competing professionally in 2000, scoring a string of victories over notable opponents. So far, the majority of

his wins have been knock-outs. He has been technically knocked out twice himself early in his career due to cuts, but after 2002, his next technical knock-out defeat came in 2008 against Andy Souwer in an extra round. Since May 2010, in parallel to his fighting obligations, Mike shares his experience and love for martial arts to Zambidis Club students, by teaching courses himself.

BULGARIA

Iliana Raeva, 1963, Rhythmic Gymnastics

The famous rhythmic gymnastics champion Iliana Raeva has gone on a business career. Together

with the management of the school of rhythmic gymnastics "Iliyana", she launched a new life-style

magazine "Slavy", followed by the magazine "Don Balon".

Yordan Lechkov, 1967, Football

After the 1994 World Cup in the United States, his career as an athlete went down, but his public

activities and business career were pushing upwards. He became the Mayor of his native town Sliven.

At the same time he appeared as a hotelier and opened super-modern Imperia Hotel in the same

town of Sliven.

Stefka Kostadinova, 1965, High Jump

Stefka Kostadinova started her business career as a founder of the sports bank "National". After the

end of the sport career, she gained experience as an advertising face for several well-known

companies. Like many of her colleagues abroad, she also offered a perfume with her name. Also she

was Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, she has been the head of the Bulgarian Olympic

Committee.

Vesela Lecheva, 1964, Shooting

Vesela is five-time world champion in sport shooting. Her business career is focused on media.

Previously, she owned Radio Sport, which was subsequently sold, and now Vesela owns Bella

Magazine.

Stoyan Delchev, 1959, Gymnastics

The Bulgarian designated gymnast of the century, is an Olympic gymnastics champion and has a

number of other prestigious awards from sports competitions. Nowadays the successful sportsman

from Plovdiv lives and works in the USA as a coach. For more than ten years he has been teaching

children in his own sports school in the city of Reno, Nevada. His private school is located in the most

expensive district of the city and guarantees significant financial revenue.