Levski

Levski Stars lured to Moscow in⁣ elaborate Hoax, Darko Tasevski Reveals

SOFIA, Bulgaria – ‍Former Levski Sofia forward Darko⁤ Tasevski recounted ‍a shocking tale of deception ⁢involving a fabricated transfer offer from Russian club Rubin Kazan, an incident now known as the‌ “Kazan ​Affair.”⁣ Tasevski,speaking on the “Code Sport” podcast,detailed how he and three other Levski starters were flown to Moscow ​under false pretenses,ultimately missing a crucial derby match and contributing to a painful defeat for the club and its ‍fans.

The incident, which occurred during an ​unspecified time period, involved⁤ Odor Batkov ordering Tasevski, Zhivko Milanov, Ze Soares, and yusuf Rabeh to travel to Moscow, accompanied by konstantin Bajdekov and agent⁢ Nikolay Zheinov. Upon arrival,it quickly became apparent the‍ offer was a sham. Levski played – ‌and lost – the ‍derby without its key players, a result that remains a​ deeply felt memory for supporters.

Tasevski described ⁣receiving contracts offering ⁤salaries of $80,000 each, a figure that​ promptly raised suspicions. “As soon as we⁣ got those contracts,something seemed rotten to me.⁣ Again you⁤ say to‌ yourself‌ – come on, what salaries, 80,000 dollars each! We‌ are good, but ‌so much… ⁢something is wrong.80,000⁣ dollars at the ‍time… I had⁢ played in ​Ukraine and understood what was being said in⁢ Russian,​ so even from‌ the wait ⁢it looked suspicious to me.”

The group was met by individuals ⁤driving black G-Classes, dressed casually in flip-flops and slippers, and told to​ rest before undergoing medical examinations. tasevski noted the hurried demeanor of their escorts, as if anticipating someone else to take over. The following day, a woman ‍tasked with transporting them revealed she wasn’t affiliated with any team, simply instructed to‍ drive them‍ to a clinic.

After undergoing routine blood and urine tests⁢ at a standard ⁣clinic – not a specialized sports facility – the players were told⁢ Rubin Kazan representatives would arrive. They waited in vain.‌ “The⁤ next day we found out⁤ it was ‌all a hoax,” Tasevski said. “We looked for a flight,but there was none – until the next day. During the match we were in the air. We landed and found⁣ out that we⁢ lost 0:2.”

The “Kazan Affair” remains a‌ notorious​ example‍ of attempted ⁣player manipulation in Bulgarian football, highlighting the vulnerabilities players face and the potential for‍ unscrupulous actors‍ to disrupt competitive integrity.