Zeljko Rebraca sparks controversy for singing Partizan's anthem / News - Basketnews.com

KK Vojvodina president Zeljko Rebraca received some heavy backlash for publicly showing his support for Partizan.

Credit: Srdjan Stevanovic/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Srdjan Stevanovic/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

Partizan Mozzart Bet demolished Real Madrid 104-90 in Belgrade Arena on Friday night. The introduction was a match between the black and white veterans and the Spanish club. As one would expect, Zeljko Rebraca was among the Partizan legends.

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Before the start of the match itself, he was filmed singing the Partizan anthem with the rest of the hall. The fans of Vojvodina, of which he is the president, criticized him for this and issued a statement demanding that he leave his post.

"After the video from yesterday's basketball game between Partizan and Real Madrid in Belgrade, which clearly shows how the current president of KK Vojvodina, Zeljko Rebraca, sings the Partizan fan song from his heart and soul, the united Vojvodina fans demand his immediate departure from the position of the chairman of our basketball club and exclusion from the entire Vojvodina sports club," the release reads.

"Apart from the fact that it is extremely unprofessional for the president of one club to publicly express his fan affiliation to another club, the Zeljko Rebraca's action deserves special condemnation due to the widely known rivalry between the fans of Vojvodina and Partizan, and therefore can only result in his irrevocable resignation."

The two-time EuroLeague-winning center with Partizan (1992) and Panathinaikos (2000), responded to the organized fans of the club from Novi Sad.

In an interview with Mozzart Sport, the 50-year-old retired big man and current exec pointed out that he doesn't feel like he has betrayed Vojvodina.

"I don't even know what to say," Rebraca started.

"First and foremost I received an invitation from Partizan to attend the veterans' match against Real Madrid, and then to stay for the EuroLeague game. Like every Serb, I supported the Serbian club at the big game," he clarified.

Zeljko Rebraca

Position:CAge:50Height:213 cmWeight:116 kgBirth place:Apatin, SerbiaProfileNewsStatistics

"Partizan is a part of my history and career. I am proud of it, I respect Partizan, but I want to point out very clearly that Vojvodina is my club, for which I am dedicated and for which I work day and night so that one day it will also play big games like the one [Partizan played] against Real Madrid," said Rebraca, who took over the leadership position in Vojvodina 10 months ago.

"I don't want this to cast a shadow over everything we did in Vojvodina during this period - and we did a lot," he continued.

"When the board of directors came to the club, we found big problems, and so far we have managed to settle almost 80% of the debt. All of us in the club deserve it, we work out of great love for Vojvodina.

The moment I became president, I felt the need to dedicate myself to that project," Rebraca pointed out and concluded by stressing that he's a supporter of the club he's leading.

"I feel like a fan of Vojvodina and I will always be, because I identify with the club and I really want it to grow. I think it is really normal for each of us to support a Serbian club," Rebraca said.

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