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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Alex Young

Football club apologise after mourning former player who is not dead

Bulgarian club Arda Kardzhali have apologised after holding a minute's silence for a former player who is still alive.

Arda Kardzhali and Levski Sofia players lined up arm in arm on the centre circle ahead of Sunday's 1-1 draw in the Bulgarian top flight, bowing their heads for a minute to honour Petko Ganchev.

However, it quickly emerged that Ganchev has not passed and Arda Kardzhali were misled by a Facebook post.

The mistake was realised during the game and the club sent a message to the TV network broadcasting the game to issue an apology at half-time.

The statement read: "Dear journalists and fans of the Arda team.

"The management of PFC Arda would like to express its deepest apologies to the team's former footballer, Petko Ganchev, and his loved ones, after the club received incorrect information regarding his death.

"We wish Petko Ganchev many years of health and to enjoy Arda's successes."

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