Criminal Charges Filed Against Football Association Leader Over „No Surrender“ Jerseys

Kosovo authorities have initiated criminal proceedings against Igor Uljarević, the president of the „Football Association of Kosovo and Metohija“, alleging that sports jerseys featuring the Association’s name and the slogan ‘No Surrender’ incite discord and intolerance. The authorities classified the slogans as „nationalistic.”

The incident unfolded when Uljarević was briefly detained by Kosovo police at the Brnjak border crossing, confirmed his lawyer, Miloš Delević, in an interview with KoSSev.

According to Delević, Uljarević was stopped while driving, and police confiscated several jerseys with the disputed inscriptions, as well as his personal mobile phone.

Kosovo police later confirmed the seizure of seven jerseys and 148 business cards, stating that the items contained „nationalistic content.“

However, they did not disclose the identity of the individual involved nor the specific details regarding the slogans on the confiscated items.

Unverified reports of Uljarević’s detention initially circulated, but Kosovo police from the northern region stated they were not involved in any such operation. However, authorities in Pristina later confirmed that the case was linked to alleged „incitement of discord and intolerance,“ an offense that carries a potential prison sentence of up to five years.

However, they did not disclose the identity of the individuals or the content from the jerseys and business cards that are the subject of the charges.

Accusations of Provocation

While Uljarević has since been released and will defend himself out of custody, his lawyer revealed that his phone remains confiscated.

Delević stated that the authorities accuse his client of provoking Kosovo Albanians by possessing the jerseys with the contentious slogans.

Uljarević, however, denies any intent to provoke, stating through his lawyer:

„Neither he nor the footballers ever wore the controversial jerseys in public.“

According to Delević, Uljarević received the jerseys as a gift and kept them stored in the trunk of his vehicle.

In a pointed statement, Delević argued that the incident demonstrates how „police and special prosecutors are preventing children from engaging in sports,“ by politicizing the situation. He emphasized that sports should remain separate from politics.