A criminal investigation is underway against two people who are linked to Saturday's attacks on two Mozzart Sport journalists and a member of the Board of Directors of Crvena Zvezda basketball team from Belgrade, Zadar police confirmed to Hina on Sunday.

The attacks took place before the Sunday match of the 7th round of the AdmiralBet ABA League in Zadar between the Zadar basketball team and Crvena Zvezda.

Unofficial sources say that the attacked persons sought medical help at the Zadar General Hospital, and the whole incident the Zadar basketball team informed about the incident in a press release on Saturday evening, saying that it “condemned the serious incidents that tarnish the name of the team and Zadar as a city.”

“The physical attack on representatives of the visiting team and journalists is an act of hooliganism that has nothing to do with cheering and love for the club. We cannot recognise and accept such a group as fans, but as a group of hooligans, and such incidents are never and will never be in line with the values ​​we promote as a club and community. We firmly stand behind the previously stated position that violence has no place in sports or any other environment’, the press release states.

The club emphasises that they distance themselves from that shameful act and express their regret to the journalists, the attacked representative of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet and his friend, their families, the club and the editorial office of Mozzart Sport. They invite all fans to show the true face of Zadar today during the game, by cheering for the club and distancing themselves from those who call for national, religious, racial, sexual hatred or intolerance, and especially violence.

The ABA League, etc. also issued a press release stating that it “strongly condemns every form of violence and racial, sexual, religious, national and any other discrimination”.

The ABA league and others join the appeals of Zadar and Crvena zvezda to the Croatian Ministry of the Interior, with the intention that all details of the attack be investigated as soon as possible and that the organisers and perpetrators of the incident be arrested and tried in accordance with the laws in Croatia where the attacks took place, the press release states.