New wave of investigations hits Croatian sports bodies over alleged fraud

On the orders of the State Attorney’s Office, police are set to begin investigating all sports federations under the umbrella of the Croatian Olympic Committee, media reported on Friday, although no official announcement has yet been made by police or prosecutors.

Earlier this week, police searched the offices of the Croatian Judo Federation. Last month, an investigation was launched into suspected fraud at the Croatian Ski Federation, involving the alleged embezzlement of around 30 million euros.

An international arrest warrant has been issued for the former head of the Croatian Ski Federation, Vedran Pavlek, who is believed to be evading authorities abroad. Four co-suspects are in pre-trial detention, while anti-corruption agency USKOK is continuing to question witnesses.

The alleged corruption in sports federations has been widely condemned across the political spectrum. Tourism and Sports Minister Tonči Glavina said on Friday it was in the government’s interest to fully clarify the cases and determine responsibility.

“We have asked the Croatian National Tourist Board to provide all available information related to the Croatian Ski Association. We received several binders of documents covering an entire decade. An official review has been launched, which we carry out regularly. Our teams are now analyzing the material, and once the process is complete, we will publish the findings,” Glavina said.

Meanwhile, several media outlets reported on Thursday that the Zagreb County State Attorney’s Office was also examining Croatian Lottery sponsorships of sports associations. The state-owned lottery company denied on Friday that a formal investigation is underway, adding that it would fully cooperate with authorities if required.

Science and Education Minister Radovan Fuchs and Culture and Media Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek were also asked to comment on the recent allegations of corruption in sports federations.

“This is the beginning of something - I don’t know what - but I hope it signals the beginning of the end of all kinds of fraud in these sports federations, the lottery, and elsewhere,” Fuchs said.

Obuljen Koržinek said oversight mechanisms must be allowed to do their job.

“There are services in place to carry out oversight and ensure the law is followed. Any suspicion of illegality is concerning, but the facts must first be established. I have no direct knowledge of these cases. If the allegations are true, especially those related to the Ski Federation, that would be very serious,” she said.