Olympic water polo resignations cite lack of respect, belittling behaviour | Olympics News
Serbia’s Water Polo Coaching Staff Resigns Amid Controversy
Serbia’s men’s Olympic water polo head coach has stepped down, and 11 members of the European gold medal-winning team have announced they will boycott the national squad. This decision follows comments made by Slobodan Soro, the newly appointed president of the Serbian water polo federation, according to a statement from the federation.
The controversy arises after Serbia, a dominant force in water polo and the reigning Olympic champion, failed to qualify for the World Cup finals in Sydney scheduled for July.
In a letter made public on Friday, the players accused Soro of “discrediting and belittling” the team’s achievements through his remarks. Soro previously stated that the team’s victory at the European Championship in January was merely the result of “momentary inspiration” and suggested that the national squad was no longer operating at its prior level of excellence.
These comments have ignited widespread discontent, leading to Uros Stevanovic’s resignation as head coach and the players’ decision to withdraw from representing Serbia. In their letter, they affirmed, “We unanimously decided to withdraw from Serbia’s national team as long as Slobodan Soro and his team remain in charge.” They emphasized that their gold medals resulted from “years of great sacrifice,” rather than fleeting inspiration.
The federation shared the players’ letter on its website, noting it was signed by “seven former and four current” national team members. They also expressed concern that what should be a standard process within a sports organization had devolved into a crisis.
Soro, a former goalkeeper who assumed the federation presidency on April 29, has yet to respond to the players’ boycott. Serbia secured the European title in Belgrade earlier this year, building on their Olympic success from the previous summer.
