Owner of Botev Plovdiv killed — Bulgarian football club president Iliyan Filipov shot dead

Representative Image: Iliyan ‌Filipov - ⁠majority ‌shareholder in FC Botev Plovdiv - was killed around 1 a.m. local ‌time, as per Bulgarian media. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

A prominent Bulgarian businessman ​and president of ‌a top league football ​club was ⁠shot dead in the city of Plovdiv early on ‌Wednesday, BNR news and other ‌local media reported.

Iliyan ‌Filipov - ⁠owner of one ⁠of Bulgaria’s largest transport and logistics companies, PIMK, ​and majority ‌shareholder in FC Botev Plovdiv - was killed around 1 a.m. local ‌time at a ​property he owned in the city, ⁠according to the reports.

Officers had blocked the ‌main exit and entry points in Plovdiv, which is around 90 miles southeast capital the ‌capital Sofia, the police ​force said.

“We are actively pursuing all possible ⁠leads,” Plovdiv District Prosecutor ⁠Vanya Hristeva said in a ‌briefing.

Botev Plovdiv has won the Bulgarian top-flight title twice and the Bulgarian Cup four times. There have also been former players and officials from the club who have graced Indian football.

Former Dutch winger Gregory Nelson, who played for Botev Plovdiv in the 2015-16 season, won the Indian Super League with Chennaiyin FC in the 2017-18 season.

Meanwhile, Denis Kavan, who was the Bulgarian side’s fitness coach in the 2022-23 season, was Mumbai City FC’s strength and conditioning coach in the 2024-25 campaign.