Landmark Verdict: Crnogorac and Judo Federation Discriminated Against Athletes, the Fight Continues!

(Patria) - The public was today presented with a historic verdict in sports, which proved that the Judo Federation of BiH, headed by Branislav Crnogorac, discriminated against Club On1, specifically their athlete and coach Karim Hebib.

More than a year has passed since the verdict became final, and the deadlines for any appeals have been exhausted, but discrimination has not stopped in this year.

Lawyer Alen Nakić emphasized that this verdict represents an expression of the rule of law and the response of the legal system of BiH on a topic that many consider trivial.



„The significance of this verdict is reflected not only in the fact that it is the first verdict rendered in the region of the former Yugoslavia in which athletes stood up against the federation of which they are members, which discriminated against them. I say this openly without fear or reservation.

The actions of the Judo Federation and its bodies have nothing to do with legality, and their actions were illegal. This case arose in circumstances when some even laughed at Hebib's decision to fight the Federation, and they told us, 'Do you know who you are dealing with?' We believed in the institutions of the system and the rule of law,“ said Nakić.

He added that they knew there would be attempts at pressure and deception, as well as attempts to portray them as lawbreakers.

Hebib emphasized that everything that was done was carried out according to the plan and program of Branislav Crnogorac.

„This is not the first time athletes have suffered injustice, but our goal is for Crnogorac to be marked as he deserves and as he acted. With due respect for his results over 30 years of work, I believe that this other side of the coin was skillfully hidden, all under the cloak of those results that were promoted, often not as they truly were,“ said Hebib.

He pointed out that Crnogorac also dragged the Olympic Committee of BiH into this problem, and he also named the leading individuals there.

„The Presidency of the Committee, Prof. Dr. Izet Rađo, Milanko Mučibabić, Secretary General Said Fazlagić... They issued a document, when they knew nothing, in which they gave support to the Judo Federation of BiH, and I ask myself on what basis they did that, based on acquaintance?“, emphasized Hebib.

That document, explained lawyer Nakić, was used as evidence, and the Olympic Committee, although aware, never reacted to the verdict nor addressed the plaintiffs to correct their mistakes, and that mistakes were proven by the verdict.

This verdict placed on the Judo Federation of BiH the burden of discrimination, infliction of mental anguish, obligation to compensate damages under threat of enforcement, annulment of decisions made by the Judo Federation of BiH, as well as a ban on any future discriminatory treatment towards the plaintiffs Karim and Mustafa Hebib, but as we heard, that discrimination has not stopped.

Karim Hebib also noted that Crnogorac is a master at abusing his status on an ethnic-national basis, as he has very skillfully abused it for 30 or more years, thereby disenfranchising others in judo sports.

He said that the fight continues and that he is aware that after today's press conference, the pressures will continue, but they will not stop.

You can watch the entire press conference below