In a bizarre turn of events, Bulgarian football club Arda Kardzhali issued an apology after mistakenly holding a minute’s silence for a former player, only to later discover that he was still alive. The incident took place during a match between Arda Kardzhali and league rivals Levski Sofia on Sunday, March 16, 2025.
Before the match kicked off, both teams stood together in the center circle, bowed their heads, and observed a minute’s silence to honor the memory of Arda club legend, Petko Ganchev.
However, the club soon realized its mistake when they received the shocking news that Ganchev was not deceased. The management quickly issued a public apology via social media.
“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 statement read.
“We wish Petko Ganchev many more years of good health and to enjoy the success of Arda.”
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The confusion began when the club received incorrect information regarding Ganchev’s death, leading to the emotional tribute before the match.
However, the situation took an even more surreal turn when Ganchev’s wife, who was unaware of the tribute, became concerned while watching the game from home. As her husband had not yet returned from a drive, she became worried and soon found herself in tears.
“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,” Ganchev told local media.
The mix-up quickly went viral, with social media users labeling it one of the most memorable blunders in sports history. As the story unfolded, many expressed their relief that Ganchev was alive and well.
