The head of the Bulgarian Taekwondo Federation, Slavi Binev, was shot dead at his home in Sofia, authorities said.
SOFIA, Bulgaria — The head of the Bulgarian Taekwondo Federation and vice president of the European Taekwondo Union was shot dead on Saturday at his home in Sofia, police said.
Mr. Binev, 60, had moved into politics after a successful career as a taekwondo fighter, later becoming a member of the National Assembly and of the European Parliament on the ticket of nationalist parties.
Police said they received a report of gunfire around 10:30 a.m. and found him dead when officers arrived at the scene. An investigation is underway.
Top police officer Lyubomir Nikolov told reporters that three suspects had been detained on a highway outside Sofia.
Mr. Nikolov said two of the suspects held Turkish citizenship, while the third held a Bulgarian identity card. He added that they were armed but did not elaborate on possible motives.
Local media reported that Mr. Binev had been linked in the early 1990s to a group that ran several entertainment venues in Sofia and was allegedly involved in prostitution, drug activity and trafficking of stolen cars.
During the 1990s, killings of public figures in Bulgaria often had mafia-style characteristics. The death of Binev is the latest in a series of high-profile killings and came as campaigning ended for Bulgaria’s presidential election.