Bulgarian club Botev Plovdiv suspended over debt

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SOFIA, Feb 24, 2010 (AFP) - Bulgarian club Botev Plovdiv was suspended on Wednesday from the country's premier league over unpaid debts, the Bulgarian Football Union said.

The union took the decision just two days before the league season resumes after the winter break because of Botev's "failure to meet the requirements for a professional league licence," it said in a statement.

In addition the country's oldest club, at the bottom of the league, will be stripped of six of its seven points acquired so far this season and it's remaining matches will be automatically recorded as 3-0 defeats.

At the end of this season, the club founded in 1912, will be relegated to Bulgaria's second division.

Botev has already failed to obtain a licence for its home pitch for the season re-start and it was unclear whether it even had a coach or team after 24 players left the club in January over unpaid wages.

Club owner Dimitar Hristolov said recently that he had found a buyer for the club and intended to sell it by this week but it remained unclear Wednesday whether the heavily indebted side had changed hands.