By Naуden Todorov, “24 chasa”
If challenges don’t scare you, they attract you, your life is not just interesting, it’s a little book about man’s driving force to seek, find, and convey the meaning of life.
Recently completed her engagements as Minister of Sports in the caretaker government, Vessela Letcheva thinks that there will be a slightly longer break, varied by her mission for the Bulgarian shooting sport.
“That’s all that? Rest? And what about a new big challenge?” she seemed to ask fate out of nowhere. And behind her – the “voice” of one of the most influential people in world sport.
“It was right at the end of the summer when I received a text from a professor friend of mine.
It said, “Congratulations.” I wondered what I had achieved.
What did I gain, what did I honor me for? The first association was that we had a second Olympic quota in shooting in the 10m pistol – the rules limited our second competitor, who was in the final. I called Efrem Efremov. He told me: “You have a letter in the Bulgarian Olympic Committee personally from Thomas Bach.
You have been accepted as a member of the Committee on Public Affairs and Corporate Communications of the International Olympic Committee.” I opened my email. Huge surprise and excitement. My first reaction was to meet the members of the committee immediately. I’ve read literally every biography. Impressive. Then my summer vacation ended and I was just coming home from Greece. In those 3-4 hours I read everything. So many influential people from all over the world – with outstanding sports biographies, athletes, politicians, presidents.
At that moment, the doubt arose as to whether I was sufficiently prepared to be useful. I talked to the professor. Efrem said to me, “Just look at the biography of Naval el Mutavakel. She’s walked your path. Success at the Olympic Games, Minister of Sports, MP…” I started overlaying things. What distinguishes me from these impressive members of the committee? I was already thinking, “They’re not aliens, they’re people like me. Successful people.”
When I returned to Bulgaria, I was already convinced – I have something to help with, I can help. After all, sport is my life, and Olympism is a philosophy for both sport and life, which I share”, said Vessela Letcheva to “24 chasa”.
Thus, the two-time Olympic vice-champion and five-time world champion became the first Bulgarian since Nadezhda Lekarska – a member of a commission in the International Olympic Committee, without being a member of the IOC. At the personal suggestion of the IOC president.
“Thomas Bach was in Bulgaria in May on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee. We had a few conversations. Maybe I impressed him about the topics we discussed. Topics related to the philosophy of Olympism, the Olympic Movement. How many opportunities it gives to young people. It is applicable in every area of life. Olympism is really a philosophy. Olympism as a spirit is not just an Olympic Games, a youth Olympic festival, it is not just a string of events.
I have the same ideas,” shares Letcheva. She has also shared with the IOC president her views on women leaders in sport, on coaches in high positions.
And since there are no coincidences in life, obviously those conversations – the personal impressions left on Thomas Bach and additional analysis by the IOC president – lead to the attraction in one of the most important committees in the organization of the Bulgarian champion and successful sports manager.
After accepting the new challenge, Vesela Lecheva has a chance meeting with the Moroccan Olympic champion, her new colleague in the commission and a proven figure in the structures of the IOC Naval el Mutawakel. “She said, ‘Cheerful, I love sports so much that I don’t want to work anything but that.’ I said, “I’m the same.” I believe that sport is necessary for every child, because it gives huge opportunities in perspective.
Even if you are not a great champion, even if you are not among the medalists, the sport provides a basis for good life realization. This is what my work as a minister was also subordinated to. To understand in all positions – in parliament, in the executive power, that we should invest there”, adds Vessela Letcheva.
