Bulgaria were thrashed 82-0 by Slovakia in a women’s ice hockey qualifier for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Bulgaria’s demise was further exacerbated by the fact that they have been, in large part, the blood donors of the group, losing 41-0 to Italy, 39-0 to Latvia and 30-1 to Croatia, that being the only time Bulgaria managed to score a goal.

On average, the Bulgarian side conceded a goal every 44 seconds in the Latvian town of Liepaja, trailing 7-0 after just five minutes, wrapping up the first period with a 31-0 deficit.

The astronomical thumping was one of the biggest defeats in sporting history along side Australia’s 31-0 dismantling of American Samoa and Bon Accord, recording the highest-ever defeat in a British senior football match, losing 36-0 to Arbroath on September 12th 1885 in the first round match for the Scottish Cup.

The embarrassment, however, ought to be directed towards the Bulgarian Government rather than the ladies. With a population of 7.4 million, only three indoor ice rings in the country and only 37 registered female players, Bulgaria could have hardly hoped for a successful run in the competition, although this ruthless and systematic destruction was nothing short of a national embarrassment.

The only message to the Bulgarian ladies team would be: don’t lose heart. You deserve your country’s gratitude for participating, for this is what sports is really all about. You also deserve your governments’ apology for embarrassing you in such way and for the pathetic state of affairs of ice hockey in the country.