Partizan president: 'We are not a political organization' / News - Basketnews.com

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade president Ostoja Mijailovic remarked on the club's financial situation and sanctions leveled at the club for insults against the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic.

Credit: Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images Credit Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images

Ostoja Mijailovic, the club president of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, once again remarked on the club's finances and the much-scrutinized relationship between Serbian basketball clubs and the country's government.

Free throws this season

82%15,2Points made:15,2Accuracy:81,6%Place in standings:4Record max:23Record min:5Most made FTs:Kevin PunterTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

Speaking to TV Prva, the executive talked about the negative fan reactions to the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, and the position of Partizan in the recent drama regarding the Serbian state's funding of both Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade and Partizan itself.

"I have never approved of this kind of chanting in the stands. A lot of fans come to our games; only a small part of them do this kind of chanting," said Mijailovic of the insulting chants leveled at Vucic.

"Of course, I am against the bad chants against the President of our country, but I am also against the chants against the opposing teams, the coaches, and the fans. I have said many times before that these things should not happen," he continued. "We also pay serious fines for these chants."

To illustrate the severity of the situation, Mijailovic had a creative idea in mind.

"In the last few years, we have paid about 1.5 million Euros for chants against the President of our country. For that money, we could have bought a quality player," he said.

"Our fans need to stop this kind of behavior. Right now, we are trying to get the A license in the EuroLeague. This kind of behavior doesn't help anyone," he appealed to the fans.

Finally, the executive clarified Partizan's official position, trying to distance the club as much as possible from the behavior of "some fans."

"We are not a political organization; we are a sports club. Nobody in Partizan participates in protests against the state of Serbia. You know that in the past, captains of different clubs were involved in such protests," he said in reference to the past.

"Our state is always helping us. Instead of getting involved in political issues, we should focus on sports, on getting the A license in the EuroLeague and increasing our TV broadcasting revenues," Mijailovic concluded, outlining the team's immediate goals.

So far, Partizan sit in the 11th place after 26 rounds in the EuroLeague.

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