“Sportsperson of the Year” Awards: The Greatest Sports Event in Bulgaria Sponsored by Vasil Bojkov

A world without sport and people in sport is a world without life, progress, and action. They give so much to every country, city, small town, society, and person. And that is why sport and the people of sport deserve to be acknowledged in one way or another.

One of the most anticipated sports events in Bulgaria are the “Sportsperson of the Year” Awards that take place each year. They are considered the most prestigious sports awards in Bulgaria as they tell and retell sports stories of success, pay respect to all of those amazing athletes, and gather together celebrities, intellectuals, sportspeople, leaders and role-models, and, of course, sports enthusiasts and fans. There are three categories – “Sportsperson of the Year”, “Team of the Year”, and “Athlete with Disabilities of the Year” – for sports merit, given annually. Authorized and famous sports journalists in the country select all of the winners in the three categories after carrying out a poll. The main idea behind these awards is to recognize excellence and achievements in sport over the past year. Initially, the award was established by the Naroden Sport newspaper and specifically by Aleksandar Yasnikov. It was first given to the basketball player Vanya Voynova back in 1958. Interestingly enough, the person with the most awards is the high-jumper Stefka Kostadinova who has been a winner for four times – in 1985, 1987, 1995, 1996.

However, these awards rarely go without mentioning one other name. That of Vasil Bojkov. Since 1994, his company Nove JSC Holding has got the rights to the “Bulgarian Sportsperson of the Year” Awards and the official awarding ceremony. Ever since then, the businessman and promoter of the Bulgarian sport Vasil Bojkov has been sponsoring and supporting the most significant event in the country. For the last 20 years, he has been one of the most important patrons of Bulgarian sport, and his companies support a number of young talents, elite athletes, and sports organizations. At the time when Vasil Bojkov manages the shooting game in Bulgaria and owns the Nove Shooting Club, his athletes win three Olympic titles and dozens of world and European awards.

Sport minister of Bulgaria

His impact on sports and different fields in sport are tremendous. Another interesting fact is that he leads the chess federation when Veselin Topalov and Antoaneta Stefanova become world champions. Bojkov is also the president of the CSKA football team from 1999 to 2006, when the Reds beat Liverpool, Bayer, Shakhtar and managed to win two championship titles. Through its Sports Talent program, its companies fund young athletes. Vasil Bojkov’s contribution to the world of sport in Bulgaria never goes unnoticed. Last year, for instance, Krasen Kralev, former Minister of Youth and Sports of Bulgaria, honored Vasil Bojkov with “The Winner’s Wreath” – the highest state honor in the field of sport, presented to honorable athletes, coaches, managers, investors and journalists with a special contribution to the development of the Bulgarian sport. And last but not least, as mentioned before, Vasil Bojkov is the main figure behind the most prestigious ranking in the Bulgarian sport – Sportsperson of the Year.

The 61st edition of the awards was once again marked with a lot of unforgettable and emotional moments. The Ball was held on the 20th of December in the Arena Armeec hall, Sofia. In the traditional Sportsman of the Year Award 139 active Bulgarian sports journalists from 49 different electronic and print media voted for the winners. The top ten athletes of this year’s award include: Alexandra Nacheva (track and field athletics), Alexandra Zhekova (snowboarding), Bilyana Dudova (wrestling), Gabriela and Stephanie Stoevi (badminton), Katherine Taseva (rhythmic gymnastics),Kiril Milov (wrestling), Kubrat Pulev (boxing), Mirela Demireva (track and field athletics), Stojka Petrova (boxing), Taybe Yusein (wrestling).

All winners of Sportsperson of the Year – 2018

Sportsperson No. 1 in Bulgaria for 2018 is the female wrestler Taybe Yusein; the best Bulgarian sportsperson with disabilities in 2018 is Denislav Kodzhabashev – table tennis player who also became world vice champion; and just like the previous year, the national rhythmic gymnastics team won the award for Team of the Year once more.