Former Bulgarian Footballer Enjoys a Brandy After Being "Declared Dead" by Former Club
"When I heard the terrible news, I poured myself a small brandy," joked 78-year-old Petko Ganchev, who found himself in the unusual position of having to reassure friends and family he was still alive after his former club Arda Kardzhali prematurely announced his death.
What began as a typical Sunday afternoon for the ex-footballer quickly turned surreal when Arda Kardzhali held a minute's silence before their match against Levski Sofia, mistakenly believing Ganchev had passed away.
"I was 10 minutes late [for kick-off] because I had a personal job. While driving home, my phone started ringing a lot," Ganchev told Bulgarian website BLITZ. The former striker arrived home to find his wife in tears.
"I parked in front of our house, entered the yard and my wife greets me crying, shouting: 'Petko, Petko, they announced on TV that you have died!'" he recounted. "I could not understand what she was telling me and what had happened. Then two of my friends called me."
With characteristic dry humor, Ganchev observed, "Being buried alive is quite stressful, really."
Arda Kardzhali quickly realized their error and posted a correction on the club's Facebook page before the game had even concluded, acknowledging they had been misinformed. The club's sporting director Ivaylo Petkov personally called Ganchev to apologize for the misunderstanding.
"Look, sometimes such things happen, but the situation was not easy at all," said Ganchev, who spent five years playing for Arda. "It is normal to spread a rumour here in the village, but they announced it in front of the whole football audience of Bulgaria."
The aftermath saw Ganchev fielding calls from concerned contacts across his social network. "So many people called me - relatives, friends, acquaintances and not so big acquaintances. The situation was not pleasant, but in the end we have to be positive."
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying information before public announcements, especially when it concerns matters of life and death. For Ganchev, at least, the experience came with the small consolation of a celebratory brandy.
