TI BiH: A broader question of corruption in sports must be opened

"We need to open a broader discussion about political influence, conflicts of interest, and the way public funds allocated for sports are being spent," said Srdjan Traljic, Public Relations Manager at TI BiH.

He pointed out that state and local authorities allocate significant amounts of money to sports clubs and associations, yet there is no proper system for monitoring or controlling how these funds are used. TI BiH has created a public database of grants, showing that the money is often distributed without clear criteria or oversight, leading to poor results and the emigration of athletes.

According to Traljic, conflict-of-interest laws have been rendered meaningless, and institutions responsible for enforcing them are failing to act. In May 2023, TI BiH found that six out of ten Premier League clubs in Bosnia and Herzegovina had public officials in their management, which is illegal. Examples include Denis Lasic, then a minister and member of the Zrinjski management board, and Milan Tegeltija, advisor to Milorad Dodik and president of FK Borac.

"In the Federation of BiH, there is still no body responsible for enforcing the law, while in Republika Srpska, the law was amended to legalise such conflicts of interest, allowing officials to run clubs that receive public money. This is a fundamental form of corruption," Traljic emphasised.

He also warned that public funds are often spent without any oversight and that spending reports are not publicly available. He cited the construction of tennis courts in Banja Luka as an example, where the law on public procurement was deliberately bypassed.

A previous TI BiH study identified more than 800 election candidates who simultaneously led associations receiving public funds. Auditors have repeatedly warned that money is being distributed without a sports development strategy, public calls, or measurable evaluation criteria.

"As long as politics controls the flow of money and the management of sports clubs, sports will remain subject to political interests. That's why we have fixed matches, privileged clubs, and empty stadiums. Without a system of control and corruption prevention, increased funding for sports will have no real effect," Traljic concluded.