Croatian Football Federation president Davor Šuker is not satisfied with the way media covers his organization.
Croatian Football Federation (HNS) issued a statement commenting on reports which were published in various Croatian media outlets in recent days, describing the reports as “untruths and insinuations”, and concluding that “a special media war is being waged against the Federation”, reports tportal.hr on December 24, 2016.
The Croatian Football Federation said that in recent days “three stories appeared in the media whose aim was to cast a shadow on the great year for HNS”.
“The Croatian Football Federation highly respects everything that Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović has done in the promotion of Croatian sports and football. President’s presence at numerous matches of the Croatian national team, as well as other sporting events, demonstrates great support for Croatian sport”, said HNS, reacting to media reports about alleged disagreements between President Grabar-Kitarović and HNS.
HNS also reacted to the reports that the Russian Football Federation had decided to choose another rival, and not Croatia, for a friendly match in March of this year and that the decision was politically motivated. “HNS is shocked with an unbelievable construction of one media outlet that the decision of the Russian Football Federation to select an opponent for a friendly match was politically motivated. HNS was in contact with the Russian Football Federation about possible friendly match on 27 March, but among several potential opponents they selected another team based of sport motives, bearing in mind the fact that Russia and Croatia played a friendly match just a year ago. Assigning political connotations to the Russian decision is beyond common sense, and HNS has never connected the decision with politics. We have excellent relations with the Russian Football Federation and we have signed a memorandum of cooperation”, said HNS.
Finally, HNS commented on the news about an alleged multi-million tax debt of HNS president Davor Šuker, for which he is being investigated by the Croatian Tax Administration. “The media war against HNS and its leaders is further confirmed by the news about the alleged tax debt of HNS president Davor Šuker, based on the findings of the Tax Administration about the mismatch between revenues and expenditures for 2015. The news reported the case as finalized, although in reality the proceedings are still ongoing. During the proceedings, HNS president Davor Šuker will very easily explain the origin of his assets, which are a result of his globally respectable career, during which he played for some of the world’s major clubs (Sevilla, Real Madrid, Arsenal, West Ham, 1860 Munich…) and won the Golden Boot at the World Cup”, concluded the statement of the Croatian Football Federation.
