Football team apologises after minute’s silence for player who is still alive | OneFootball

A Bulgarian football club has apologised after holding a minute’s silence for a former player who is still alive.

Top-flight side Arda Kardzhali mourned former player Petko Ganchev, 78, before their 1-1 draw with Levski Sofia on Sunday, with players from both teams lining in on the centre circle and bowing their heads during the silence.

However, after realising during the game that they had been misinformed and Ganchev was still alive, Arda posted an apology on their Facebook page and wished him “many more years of good health”.

Ganchev told Bulgarian station bTV that the mix-up resulted in his panicked wife thinking he had died, as well as several calls from concerned friends and relatives.

“I never miss watching Arda’s matches on television,” Ganchev said. “This time I was about ten minutes late for the game against Levski because I had some work to do.

“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.”

Arda Kardzhali attempted to rectify their error during the match and put out a statement confirming that Ganchev was still alive.

"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 post said.

"We wish Petko Ganchev many more years of good health and to enjoy the success of Arda.”