Bulgarian PM condemns soccer racism after fans make Nazi salute

15 October 2019, 2:30 pm

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Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has condemned the racist behavior of his country’s soccer fans.

Local fans made Nazi salutes and directed monkey noises at the black players on England’s national team during a European Championship qualifying match. England won 6-0.

Borissov says “it is unacceptable that Bulgaria, one of the most tolerant countries in the world where people of different ethnicities live in peace, to be associated with racism and xenophobia.”

Bulgarian fans make the Nazi salute during the Euro 2020 Group A football qualification match between Bulgaria and England at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia on October 14, 2019. (NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV / AFP)

Bulgarian fans have already been sanctioned for other racist abuse in qualifying for Euro 2020 and played the match against England on Monday in a partially closed stadium.

Borissov also calls for Bulgarian soccer federation president Borislav Mihailov to resign following a run of poor results, and says he ordered sports minister Krasen Kralev to terminate any relations with Mihailov until he quits.

— AP