Soccer-Bulgarian FA Imposes One-year Ban on Coach for Referee Attack

SOFIA, Aug 21 (Reuters) - The Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) has banned the coach of second division club Kariana Edren from coaching duties for a year for attacking the referee and his assistant at the end of his team's 1-2 home loss to Strumska Slava on Saturday.

The BFU's disciplinary commission also fined Atanas Dzhambazki, a former coach of Slavia Sofia, Montana and Litex Lovech, 1,500 levs ($877), the BFU said in a statement on Tuesday.

Dzhambazki appeared to lose his temper and invaded the pitch after the visitors scored the winning goal in the 90th minute after referee Ivaylo Nenkov awarded a free kick.

Assistant referee Georgi Velikov tried to defend Nenkov from Dzhambazki, standing in front of his colleague only to be punched in the face twice and hit in the chest.

Local media reported that Kariana would most probably sack Dzhambazki, who could not be reached for comment, after the punishment.

Dzhambazki said on Monday he felt sorry for the attack, had called the officials to apologies and he had not been involved in anything like it before.