The president of the Zagreb Football Association, Tomislav Svetina, has been in the spotlight in recent weeks after he was filmed hanging out with Zdravko Mamić in a Herzegovinian restaurant.
They were also in the company Bozidar Šikićmember of the Board of Directors of HNS and president of Lokomotive and former head of referees Never Spreijzer.
This enraged many within HNS, but also certain clubs, among which Dinamo and Hajduk are leading. It was speculated that Marijan Kustić would expel Svetina from HNSbut for now there is no question about that. The first man of Zagreb football was a guest on HRT, where he explained what happened in the Studio 4 show.
Svetina explained the meeting with Mamić
I would love to take this opportunity to perhaps give a slightly broader picture of the whole event. So, it was about New Year’s Eve in Dubrovnik, where there was just one large group, about twenty of us, among others there was President Kustić, people from football, people outside of football with their families.
The moment we set off for Zagreb, on January 2, ten of us with our families, we decided visit the shrine in Medjugorje and eat something afterwards. One of our company suggested the famous “Widows”, we came there, so, I repeat, ten of us with our families, had lunch, finished lunch, the main course and at that moment Mr. Mamić appeared, said Svetina.
He added that he stayed with them “for a few minutes”, and that they left and he stayed.
That’s the whole story, huh a fame and hysteria is created. Nor was there an arranged meeting, even less secret, even less conspiratorial, the facts are forgotten…
Let’s defame Svetina as a man, let’s defame him in the position he is in, we will create pressure towards the Croatian Football Associationespecially according to President Kustić, that something should be done then. And I repeat one more time. Therefore, there was no agreement, nor was there any secret agreement, said Svetina.
It is a completely failed thesis that it was what influence does Mr. Mamić have in Croatian footballso that what is being tried to be marketed through the media, we repeat once again, is only about completely wrong theses, he said and then added that he is ready to answer for his work: Pthere are objective facts and criteria by which it can be determined.
“Mamić’s influence in Croatian football does not exist”
He pointed out that he did not rejoice after winning the elections for the president of the Zagreb Football Association.
In fact, I extended my hand to everyone and at the next assembly that we had in a month and a half, the clubs that were not for me at that moment, they sided with me within the Zagreb Football Association. So, I want to make it clear, there was no arranged meeting, much less a secret one the influence of Mr. Mamić in Croatian football is absolutely non-existent, he ordered.
He also spoke about his relationship with HNS president Marijana Kustić, reports Index.
The fact that we welcomed the new year together, I think, speaks volumes about the relationships that exist. Other people from the Executive Committee were also with us.
I think that the unity and togetherness that adorns Croatian football is one of the factors of what we talked about at the beginning of the continuity, the success that exists. So, something where we all stick to the same stick and then in the end it brings the result”concluded Svetina.
Svetina: The meeting with Mamić was not arranged, I have no relationship with him
(www.jabuka.tv | Photo: Pixsell)
