Slavi Binev, president of Bulgarian Olympic Taekwondo, shot dead in Sofia
Binev was killed in the Pavlovo neighbourhood; he led Bulgarian Olympic taekwondo and held roles in European and world bodies.
Slavi Binev, president of the Bulgarian Federation for Olympic Taekwondo, was shot dead on 24 October 2026 in the Pavlovo neighbourhood of Sofia, police and local authorities say. An unknown assailant opened fire while Binev was in a car; emergency crews pronounced him dead at the scene and police launched an investigation.
Sports profile and roles
Binev was a member of the Council of the World Taekwondo Federation and in recent years served as president of the Bulgarian Federation for Olympic Taekwondo. He also held the post of first vice‑president of the European Taekwondo Union.
Born on 10 December 1965 in Sofia, Binev practised taekwondo competitively before entering business and politics. In 1992 he won a European title in the sport and later moved into leadership roles within taekwondo organisations.
Alongside his sporting career, Binev had an active political life. He began with the Ataka party, was elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2007 and that same year ran for mayor of Sofia. He later founded the political association GORD, and in 2014 became a member of the Bulgarian National Assembly and chair of the parliamentary committee on culture and media.
Authorities in Sofia said they are investigating the circumstances of the shooting; no arrests have been announced and details about a possible motive were not released.
The killing removes a high‑profile figure from both Bulgarian sport and politics and raises questions for national taekwondo leadership and security in the capital.
Photo: Sportal.bg
