Magoda Gathers Sarajevo Clubs: Process of Resolving Crisis in Sarajevo Canton Football Association Continues

(Patria) - Minister of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton Kenan Magoda held a meeting with representatives of Sarajevo football clubs to discuss the current situation in football in Sarajevo Canton and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Minister expressed serious dissatisfaction with the current state and long-standing problems burdening the work of the Football Association of Sarajevo Canton.

One of the key topics of the meeting was the years-long ambiguity and irregularities in the process of electing representatives of Sarajevo clubs to the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has caused great dissatisfaction among clubs and sports workers.

The meeting represents a serious step towards resolving the crisis that has been shaking Sarajevo football for a long time. Problems in the functioning of the Football Association of Sarajevo Canton have been causing concern and dissatisfaction among clubs for months, and the goal of today's meeting was to gather all key stakeholders to continue the process of institutional resolution of the situation.

In addition to club representatives, the meeting was attended by representatives of the Association of Referees and Instructors of Sarajevo Canton. Among those present were representatives of all clubs, including the major Sarajevo clubs FK Sarajevo and FK Željezničar. During the meeting, issues of legal legitimacy and the conduct of the previous leadership of the Football Association of Sarajevo Canton were discussed.

Minister Kenan Magoda emphasized that this is a turning point in the Association's work, pointing out that in the past period there were pressures and fabricated processes, but that football workers in Sarajevo Canton remained consistent in their demands for change.

"What I have been warning about for a long time, unfortunately, everyone sees much more clearly today. When the system collapses due to private interests, the consequences do not remain only within the association. Everyone feels the consequences, and these days our sports giants FK Željezničar and FK Sarajevo, as well as numerous other clubs that deserve an organized, fair, and legal sports environment, are feeling them in their own way.

Sarajevo clubs must not be hostages of people who perceive football as private property. Even less should they be exposed to threats, pressures, and blackmail from those who act outside the interests of Sarajevo Canton, but have their pawns and executors here," said Minister Magoda.

It was concluded at the meeting that club representatives would appoint their delegated representatives who, together with the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton, will hold a meeting with the Minister of Justice and Administration of Sarajevo Canton. The goal of that meeting is to define further legal steps in accordance with the current statute of the Football Association of Sarajevo Canton, as well as to prepare the Assembly of the Association with an amended statute, in accordance with the order of the administrative inspection of Sarajevo Canton.

After that, it is planned to initiate the election and reporting assembly of the Football Association of Sarajevo Canton, which should produce legitimate representatives of the Association's Executive Board, representatives for the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as representatives for the Football Association of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It was agreed that the necessary procedure would be initiated within seven days so that the reform process of the Association could begin without delay. Participants of the meeting emphasized that the priority is to protect the integrity, legality, and rule of law in sports institutions, and to restore trust in the work of the Football Association of Sarajevo Canton and its associations.

The need for unity of all clubs and sports workers was particularly emphasized in order to prevent the recurrence of situations that have negatively affected clubs like FK Sarajevo and FK Željezničar in the past period, but also the entire sports system in Sarajevo Canton.