Ivan Slavkov

Ivan Slavkov studied electrical and mechanical engineering at the Higher Institute in Sofia. After marrying Lyudmila Zhivkova, daughter of the Bulgarian Communist leader Todor Zhivkov, Slavkov later became director-general of Bulgarian television from 1971-81, deputy minister of culture from 1976-81, and beginning in 1995 he was President of Tivia cable television.

Slavkov played multiple sports recreationally. He became President of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee in 1982 and an IOC Member in 1987. After the collapse of Communism, Slavkov was accused of gross embezzlement of public funds during Sofia’s unsuccessful bid for the 1994 Winter Olympics, although he was acquitted.

In 2000 Slavkov was investigated by the IOC on charges that he had offered support to business people connected to the Cape Town bid for the 2004 Olympics, but the IOC Ethics Commission eventually dropped the investigation. In 2004 Slavkov was filmed by undercover reporters, who caught him in a meeting in which he agreed to vote for certain cities, and solicit other IOC votes, in exchange for bribes.

The IOC Ethics Commission then produced a report on 25 October 2004, in which it concluded that Slavkov’s actions were “contrary to the ethical principles derived from the Olympic Charter and the IOC code of ethics and of an extremely serious nature,” and recommended his expulsion from IOC. On 7 July 2005 at the IOC session in Singapore Slavkov was expelled from the IOC by a vote of 82 in favor of expulsion, and 12 against. He was simultaneously removed as President of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee.