Binev: “Taekwondo doesn’t end with medals; it teaches you to become someone”
SOFIA, Bulgaria — Slavcho “Slavi” Binev, President of the Bulgaria Taekwondo Federation, linked the Bulgaria Open’s organizational growth to an idea he repeated as his central message: Taekwondo must shape people before champions, and leadership means “not hiding problems,” but solving them with determination.
SOFIA, Bulgaria — Slavcho “Slavi” Binev, President of the Bulgaria Taekwondo Federation, linked the Bulgaria Open’s organizational growth to an idea he repeated as his central message: Taekwondo must shape people before champions, and leadership means “not hiding problems,” but solving them with determination.
The interview was conducted by MASTKD during the Bulgaria Open, which brought Kyorugi and Poomsae together on the same stage, along with a strong focus on youth divisions.
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“My talent is solving”
Asked by MASTKD about the change that, according to local stakeholders, the federation experienced since he took office, Binev avoided presenting it as a personal achievement, but defended his leadership style.
“I know what my talents are. I never hid problems. I always solved them. I always destroyed the problem,” he said.
In that same line, he added that he accepted the role as a mission: to prove that difficult things can be made possible when there is conviction and a strong team around you.
Leadership beyond the mat
Binev stressed that an athletic career is short, and that the real learning must go beyond competitive results.
“We can be athletes for how long? Twenty years… After that, the most important thing is the lesson: Taekwondo should help you become a man, a real citizen, someone who contributes to the people around you,” he said.
He also spoke about personal growth, acknowledging that as a child he was “very aggressive,” and that experience—and life’s hard knocks—forced him to mature.
“I paid my price. It was a hard path. But this isn’t just punching and kicking; it’s something else. It’s a way,” he said.
The event as a generational project
Speaking with MASTKD, the President explained that building an event with multiple competition areas, several disciplines, and space for kids and young athletes is not only about “medals,” but about planning designed to rebuild the bridge between generations.
“We lost parts of generations because they only focused on medals. We have to think about young people… to connect generations,” he said.
As for his own drive, he summed it up with a phrase that read like a personal creed:
“I never do anything if it’s not in my heart. I can work 24/7 without getting tired.”
Confidence in the next cycle
In closing, and when asked about Bulgaria’s sporting outlook, Binev sounded optimistic about the road ahead into the next Olympic cycle.
“I’m sure we’ll have more success,” he said, pointing to the ambition of sustaining—and expanding—the country’s international performance.
MAS: Media About Sport.
TKD: Taekwondo.
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