Bosnia basketball team loses two members amid alleged political pressure over Ratko Mladic banner

N1 has learned that their departure from the national team was not a sporting decision and that the two did not leave voluntarily.

According to information obtained by N1, SNSD leader Milorad Dodik allegedly demanded that members of the national team who are also employed by basketball club Igokea leave the Bosnia and Herzegovina squad.

Lazic and Petkovic are both associated with the Laktasi-based club.

Lazic left Tuzla by bus with his teammates and coaching staff on Saturday morning as the squad travelled towards Belgrade.

The team was due to fly from Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport to Vilnius, where Bosnia and Herzegovina will face Lithuania on Monday.

However, the situation reportedly changed before the team reached the airport.

According to information available to N1, Dodik contacted people associated with the national team and demanded that Lazic return to Laktasi.

Lazic was allegedly warned that he could lose his position at Igokea if he remained with the Bosnia and Herzegovina squad.

He ultimately did not continue the journey to Lithuania.

Assistant coach Zoran Petkovic, who is also employed by Igokea, subsequently left the national team as well.

Istraga.ba reported that both men faced the possibility of losing their positions at the club if they remained with the national team. According to the same outlet, pressure has allegedly also been exerted on other Serbs involved with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national team.

The dispute reportedly followed the appearance of a banner in the stands during Bosnia and Herzegovina’s game against Italy at the Mejdan arena in Tuzla, referring to the death of Ratko Mladic.

Mladic, the former commander of the Army of Republika Srpska, was serving a life sentence after being convicted of genocide in Srebrenica, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Bosnia and Herzegovina recorded an important victory over Italy on Friday night, with Lazic scoring seven points.

The national team is due to travel to Vilnius ahead of Monday’s World Cup qualifier against Lithuania.

Both Lazic and Petkovic have been part of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national team setup for years, making their sudden departure a significant development ahead of the crucial qualifier.