Bulgarian wrestler Zlateva seeks move from mat to parliament

Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria celebrates after winning the gold medal against Russia's Ekatarina Bukina after their women's 72kg freestyle wrestling gold medal match at the Senior Wrestling World Championship in Istanbul, 16 September 2011.

SOFIA (Reuters) - Five-times world female wrestling champion Stanka Zlateva is planning a move into politics by contesting Bulgaria's parliamentary elections in May.

Zlateva, who also won five European titles and two Olympic silver medals in the 72-kg category, will run as a candidate for the centre-right GERB party, whose government resigned in February following nationwide protests against low living standards.

"Yes, I accepted the GERB invitation," said the 30-year-Zlateva, who was named Bulgaria's best athlete of the year in 2011, adding that she could make "some good things for Bulgarian sport".

Zlateva did not say whether she would continue to compete if she became a member of parliament in the elections on May 12.

(Reporting by Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Clare Fallon)