Eleven members of Serbia’s European Championship-winning squad remain unwilling to represent their country while Slobodan Soro continues as president of the Serbian Water Polo Federation, according to reports from Sport Klub.
The dispute, which began in May, shows no sign of resolution despite efforts by national team head coach Vladimir Vujasinovic to persuade the players to return.
Among those maintaining their boycott are captain Nikola Jaksic and three-time Olympic champion Dusan Mandic, two of the most prominent figures in Serbian water polo.
According to Sport Klub, Vujasinovic recently held discussions with both players in the hope of reaching a compromise. However, the conversations confirmed that the players’ position remains unchanged.
The Serbian coach has subsequently informed other members of the squad that he intends to turn his attention to the group that won bronze at the Mediterranean Games in Taranto this summer.
The situation has been further complicated by the suspension of Nikola Lukic for disciplinary reasons, leaving 12 members of Serbia’s European Championship-winning squad unavailable.
As things stand, just three players from that successful team are available to Vujasinovic: Milan Glusac, Vasilije Martinovic and Milos Cuk.
How did the dispute begin?
The conflict began following Soro’s appointment as federation president in April 2026.
His subsequent comments about Serbia’s recent international achievements, including Olympic gold in Paris in 2024 and the European Championship title in Belgrade earlier this year, prompted a strong reaction from several leading players.
Soro suggested that those successes were influenced more by circumstances and moments of inspiration than by the team’s underlying quality.
The comments angered members of the squad, who argued that their achievements reflected years of hard work, sacrifice and commitment.
Former head coach Uros Stevanovic resigned shortly afterwards, while 11 players signed a joint statement announcing that they would no longer represent Serbia under the federation’s current leadership.
The players also raised concerns about Soro’s previous involvement with Novi Beograd, alleging that members of the national team had been subjected to unfair treatment during his time at the club.
The Serbian Water Polo Federation disputed the players’ position, arguing that only four of the 11 signatories were current national team members, with the remaining seven absent from the most recent selection.
The federation also rejected suggestions of wrongdoing and accused those involved in the dispute of attempting to use sport for political purposes.
A difficult situation for Vujasinovic
Vujasinovic, appointed in June following Stevanovic’s departure, now faces the challenge of rebuilding the national team without many of Serbia’s most experienced and decorated players.
The list of unavailable European champions includes Nikola Jaksic, Dusan Mandic, Strahinja Rasovic, Sava Randjelovic, Djordje Lazic, Nemanja Vico, Nikola Dedovic, Viktor Rasovic, Petar Jaksic, Radoslav Filipovic and Radomir Drasovic.
Nikola Lukic is separately unavailable through suspension.
The Serbian Water Polo Federation has confirmed the current situation to Sport Klub, with no indication that an agreement between the players and federation leadership is imminent.
The continuing dispute represents a significant challenge for a country that has dominated Olympic water polo over the past decade, winning three consecutive men’s gold medals in Rio, Tokyo and Paris.
Olympic qualification on the horizon
The timing of the dispute is particularly concerning for Serbia, with qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games approaching.
Preparations for the World Cup begin in January, with the competition providing an early opportunity to secure Olympic qualification.
The 2027 World Championships in Budapest will offer another route to Los Angeles, followed by further qualification opportunities at the 2028 European Championships and the final Olympic qualification tournament.
With Serbia’s established stars remaining unavailable, Vujasinovic may have to rely heavily on a younger and less experienced squad during a crucial period in the Olympic cycle.
For now, neither side appears willing to change its position, leaving the reigning European champions facing considerable uncertainty over their international future.
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