Three Serbian water polo players were attacked on the waterfront promenade in the southern Croatian city of Split on Saturday afternoon. Two of the players managed to run away while one escaped by jumping into the sea.

Police were alerted at 1.40 pm that five youths had attacked three players of Belgrade's Red Star Water Polo Club on the Riva promenade, Hina was told.

“One of the water polo players jumped into the sea, while the other two escaped. By the time we arrived at the scene, the attackers had fled too. We offered medical assistance to the young man who jumped into the sea, but he refused. He doesn't have visible injuries for now. We took him to the hotel and conducted an interview there. We also interviewed the other two who had managed to escape. An investigation is under way,” police spokeswoman Zeljka Radosevic told Hina.

According to unofficial sources, the attackers were apparently provoked by the fact that the three players wore their team's jerseys.

The Belgrade team play the local side Mornar BS this evening.