Euro champ Milorad Čavić, Serbian swimmer has been banned from European Swimming Championship in Eindhoven and became first sportsmen in the history who has been banned from the competition by the LEN because of the issue other than doping.
His ‘crime’ was to wear a t-shirt declaring that ‘Kosovo is Serbia’ (in Serbian language and Cyrillic letters) when on the podium receiving his gold medal for the 50m butterfly, in a European record of 23.11 (beating his own record from semifinal); A letter of protest was received from “an unnamed party” and of course he has to be punished because t-shirt “contained a political message”. LEN officials even said that he violated rules by carrying Serbian flag on podium completely neglecting that organizers didn’t have Serbian flag on medal ceremony and that they have used reversed Russian flag which is not the same as current Serbian.
It is amazing how politics of double standards is applied on every field!
The European swimming governing body (LEN) didn’t do anything after scandal in the final match of European Water polo Championship in Slovenia 2003 when the Serbian players and fans including President Boris Tadić and minister of foreign affairs Goran Svilanović were brutally attacked! They even had to jump in the pool to save their heads. The match was between Serbia and Croatia and since the Serbs were targeted no punishment was necessary.
I’m not person who is thinking about secret conspiracies and I could understand this might sound paranoid but there are simply too much similarities!
Without expressing my political opinion and intention to offend anyone I’m wondering would you react the same if the message was “Free Tibet” or “Flanders is not Belgium” or even “Kosovo is Independent”? Or, since Čavić is Serb born in USA and lives in Florida what if he had won gold for US and wore the same t-shirt? Surely nothing like this would happened.
Lets think if they had to punish him was it necessary so drastically? 7000 euros for Serbian Swimming Organization and official warning wasn’t enough? Or was his potential the main criteria in making this shameful decision? Namely (with best result) he was the main candidate for gold in 100m butterfly; the other discipline was 100m freestyle.
“I’m afraid of the worst,” Čavić told The Associated Press in Thursday. “A suspension is the worst they can do to me. That is the death sentence.” And of course they heard him.
“What is my wearing a shirt going to do to change the minds of the United States, United Nations or European Union,” he said. “This is already a done deal. All I wanted to do was uplift my people. My only role here was to be a leader and transfer positive energy. I didn’t do it to provoke anger, I didn’t do it to provoke violence,” Čavić said. “The country is torn apart and . . . my goal was just to uplift them.”
And you did, Milorad. I’m horribly sorry for the price you are paying and hope you’ll be able to stay focused on Beijing. After this maybe even more!
Good luck and thank you!
March 22, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Свака част!
Супер ти је блог, свиђа ми се много, нарочито овај пост.
Све је истина! Ако погледаш у прошлост, увек је тако било, све су радили против Срба и Србије, али без обзира на то, ми смо преживљавали и одолевали мржњи. Сад само погледај колико смо јаки и издржљиви, зато ћу увек бити поносан на то што сам СРБИН!
Могу да нам украду Косово, али увек ће живети у нама без обзира на то шта ће се десити даље у будућности.
Могу да нас казне ако “носимо политичку поруку” али поента је да је Чавић освојио злато и да је оборио ЕВРОПСКИ рекорд.
Сад још само фали да нам казне Ђоковића, јер се појавио на митингу…
И много ми се свиђа наслов овог поста, енглески ти је супер, волео бих да је мој такав
March 23, 2008 at 11:03 am
I couldn’t agree more. We’re witnessing 21st century witch hunt. And I’d lie If I say that I am surprised.
According to international law, Kosovo is part of Serbia (the fact that USA, GB, Netherlands and few other influential countries recognized Europe’s brand new rogue state doesn’t change a thing). Ergo it means that Čavić’s shirt had nothing to do with politics, but with geography.
It’s just plain hate and discrimination. But we’re kinda used to it. They don’t like us and they never will. It’s take to wake up.
March 23, 2008 at 12:02 pm
@ Vladimir & Džejn Dou (great nick by the way):
Thank you both of you for comments.
It’s hard to get used to this situation. I mean indeed we have whole history of doubles standards but still, I think it’s in human nature to hope (and expect) that will stop. That is why is so hard when something new from the International community’s kitchen is served on our table. It is hard and frustrating!
And I’m afraid that yours “doesn’t change a thing” will cause more rabies toward us. They obviously can do whatever they want and we can’t do anything about it. EXCEPT talk about the truth and present it to the public. Because enormous majority isn’t aware what is happening.
And Vladimir, Djoković wasn’t on the protest. He sent video message so I guess he’s safe.
March 23, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Personally, I find it hard to accept the fact that Albanian terrorist got away with everything… Now we’re hearing news that they used kidnapped Serbs for organ harvesting! I mean, come on!
I agree that there isn’t much we can do but to try to explain the whole Kosovo thing to people outside Serbia, who had no opportunity to hear what other side has to say. And maybe, one fine day when Kosovo reunites with Serbia, attitude toward Serbs will be more favourable.
One thing I know for sure is that I shall never ever recognize Kosovo’s independence, no matter what happens.
March 23, 2008 at 1:26 pm
I have the same problem myself. It makes me furious when I see how they [Albanians] have been awarded with all atrocities they have committed! And how selective international community and their media are with informing about the truth so yes, I do believe that talking about the whole story is very important (and sadly, the only thing we can do). That’s why I’m writing my blog in language that is not my mother tongue.
And neither would I recognize Kosovo’s independence. I think that would be anti-physiologically. But I am afraid where will that lead us? We already have huge institutional mess in the country. And it’s only a month after declaration. Politics shouldn’t be led with heart, especially if your not in the position. And we’re surely not.
So I think the greatest weapon is the truth and the big enemy is that phrase that “Winners are writing history”. It this case history will be false (like many times before).
March 24, 2008 at 3:57 pm
[...] Last week, the swimmer Milorad Čavić, who was born in California to Serbian parents, was barred from the European championships after wearing a T-shirt that said “Kosovo is Serbia,” in Cyrillic letters, at the medal ceremony after winning the 50-meter butterfly. “It’s hard because we are athletes and trying to do the best we can on the court and promote our country in the best possible way,” Ivanović said about the Čavić’s case (I wrote about that HERE). [...]
March 24, 2008 at 9:54 pm
The HOPE, this is our greatest friend. But we can’t do anything special because like you said “Winners” will destroy us. They know TRUTH (both Albanians and Americans) but they won’t recognize it no matter what because it’s not in their interest. I hate politics, I hate evilness, I hate lie.
I’m just HOPING for the best and we’ll see what will happen. God is on our side!
And just because of this (telling people truth on language they understand the most) I would like to improve my English… I WILL!!!
Amazing blog, Milan!