The press release of NK Široki Brijeg is transmitted in its entirety:
“Although NK Široki Brijeg does not want to participate in public fights through a press release, we are obliged to react in order to protect the reputation of the club and the proud name of the City of Široki Brijeg, which in part of the media space in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially the one based in Sarajevo, are shown in an inaccurate and one-sided way. Unfortunately, in the match of the 26th round between NK Široki Brijeg and FK Željezničar, sports content fell into the background due to incidents that have nothing to do with sports and our Club and The city, which marked the meeting to a large extent.
We emphasize that NK Široki Brijeg had no role or connection with the requests to remove the banner in question in the away fans’ sector. All related activities were carried out exclusively by competent services on the basis of valid regulations and rules. During part of the match, the stadium was echoed by visiting Maniac fans with extremely inappropriate, offensive and incendiary messages addressed to the home crowd and the city, including chants such as: ‘Tread, trample the Ustashas’, ‘Država Bosnia’, as well as a series of curses and insults: ‘Jbi Široki, Široki maleni’, ‘Fuck your mother up***’, along with other similar shouts: ‘Tread, trample the Chetniks’,… Such behavior continued was continuous and represented a serious disruption of the sports environment.
We emphasize that at no time until the break of the match, i.e. until the moment when the away fans clashed with the police, did the home fans make any insulting or insulting shouts towards the away fans. Disputed shouts from the home stand only followed as a reaction to repeated and continuous insults by visiting fans. The fact that a significant number of media outlets, none of which were officially accredited for this match, did not report any of the aforementioned shouts from the away fans, but exclusively and one-sidedly reported on the reaction of the home crowd. In addition, it is important to emphasize that, in addition to journalists from Široki Brije and Herzegovina, only three media employees of FK Željezničar were properly and officially accredited for the match.
Therefore, we regret that ‘afterthought’ and ‘a view from a comfortable armchair in Sarajevo’, apparently following certain directives, are used to create insinuations towards NK Široka Brijeg and the City of Široki Brijeg, showing them in public in a way that suggests fascist or other inappropriate attitudes, which is completely unfounded. These events only further confirm the earlier knowledge that certain situations were planned and orchestrated in advance with the aim of presenting NK Široki Brijeg and the City of Široki Brijeg in a negative and distorted light.
We are aware of the wider context, and we clearly say that anyone’s political aspirations and interests will not be passed over the backs of NK Široki Brijeg and the proud City of Široki Brijeg. We want to send a clear message to the media and the public to stop attacks and insinuations against NK Široki Brijeg and the City of Široki Brijeg. We don’t want to fight other people’s battles or be the target of baseless accusations. Široki Brijeg remains an open city, which welcomes every well-intentioned visitor and sports fan. Due to all of the above, NK Široki Brijeg made a decision to temporarily suspend cooperation with the media that published inaccurate and one-sided information, until they publish public corrections and apologies and convey a complete and true account of the event, with special emphasis on the behavior of the away fans during the match.
Ultimately, we emphasize that NK Široki Brijeg fully fulfilled all organizational obligations and ensured a correct and professional reception for FK Željezničar and their fans. On this occasion, we would like to thank FK Željezničar for correct and professional cooperation in the organization of the match. NK Široki Brijeg clearly points out that it firmly stands by its fans, but at the same time emphasizes that it does not support or justify any form of inappropriate behavior on sports fields. We remain firmly committed to promoting sports, mutual respect and responsible behavior at sporting events, and condemns any form of hate speech and inappropriate behavior regardless of where it comes from,” the statement reads.
(Vijesti.ba)
