Bulgaria BFU head explains resignation following racism fallout

SHOWS: SOFIA, BULGARIA (OCTOBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.

(SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) BORISLAV MIHAYLOV, PRESIDENT OF BFU, SAYING: "I have just presented my resignation as president and as you know this is a private act, which can't be commented on.

I just had to pay respect to the people I worked with for so many years." 2.

WHITE FLASH 3.

(SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) BORISLAV MIHAYLOV, PRESIDENT OF BFU, SAYING: "For some time now I have been thinking that people may have get tired of me, regardless of many positive things we have done.

Also, many things happened recently, which created tensions in football and in the BFU, although it was not my fault.

I preferred to lower this tension by presenting my resignation, so that my colleagues could work normally." 4.

(SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) BORISLAV MIHAYLOV, PRESIDENT OF BFU, SAYING: "The first chant (racist), they do not know from where it came.

The second chant was heard by (Gareth) Southgate only.

The referee did not stop the match than.

So this is a provocation - you cannot stop the match because of a few people.

I do not understand this at all, and the racism itself is overexposed in this case." STORY: The head of the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU), Borislav Mihaylov - who resigned from his post earlier in the week - spoke of his reasons to leave at a news conference on Friday (October 18), saying he was not to blame for the deterioration of the sport in the country but was moving aside to help the association move forward in a smoother fashion.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borissov had called for Mihaylov to step down after the England game.