Serbian Olympic Committee: We Should Not Leave Podium if Athletes from Kosovo Are There

Serbian Olympic Committee president Bozidar Maljkovic (BETAPHOTO/AMIR HAMZAGIC)

Serbian Olympic Committee president Bozidar Maljkovic has said that his opinion is that Serbian athletes at the Paris Olympics should not leave the winners' podium if athletes from Kosovo appear on it, and that it was not “Serbian to run away.”

“Beat that opponent from Kosovo. They are a member of the International Olympic Committee like its other members. Like Britain, Germany, like Serbia. Thomas Bach, the president of the IOC also threatened back in Rio that he would suspend our membership and throw us out if we refuse to play,” Maljkovic told the July 25 edition of NIN, when asked whether Serbian athletes would play against athletes representing Kosovo and leave the winners’ podium if they appeared there.

“My question is who has the right to destroy their youth, who has the right to threaten their future, by doing such a thing and risking participation in the Olympics? Who are they and why are they doing this,” Maljkovic said, adding that he had told the president of the country his stance.

“He came down in front of the entire team before Tokyo, when he greeted us and accepted what I said – that we not leave the podium. I say it is not the Serbian way to run. This is my stance. Of course someone will not like this, I know that. Maybe as a civilian I would think differently. Believe me this is the only right way,” Maljkovic said.