The 2025 Sports Year was successful and, when viewed as a whole, represents a strong signal that Montenegrin sports are moving in the right direction, said the President of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee (MOC), Dušan Simonović.
He recalled that the year 2025 brought medals from European and world competitions, as well as placements among the ten, or eight, best teams in the world in team sports.
"These are not small achievements, neither by sporting nor organizational criteria. What makes me particularly happy is the fact that in a large number of cases, the bearers of these results were young athletes, such as the brilliant Andrea Berišaj. This means that these successes are not isolated incidents, but part of a process and continuity," Simonović told the Mina agency.
He emphasized that he sees the most important value of 2025 in the confirmation that Montenegro has generations coming up who can carry Montenegrin sports in the coming period.
"Our expectations are always to be first, but being sixth, eighth, qualifying in basketball, volleyball, handball, water polo, is a great success. If we compare Montenegro with countries of similar size, population or GDP, and even with some countries in the region, we very quickly come to a clear answer: few have such placements, and even fewer have continuity in team sports," said Simonović.
According to him, one should also be extremely realistic - Montenegro has a small base of athletes and extremely modest investments in sports.
"Allocations from the state budget are below 0,2%, while the European average is between 0,6 and 0,8%. And that is an average, not a standard. Despite this, our athletes manage to compete with significantly richer and more numerous sports systems. Criticism can and should be made, but only if one knows the sport, understands the processes and respects the context. Anything else is neither constructive nor fair," said Simonović.
He said that the state recognizes the importance of sports and that it is important to say this clearly. According to him, in the previous period, greater institutional attention to sports has been visible, better communication with the sports sector and a willingness to talk about sports as a public interest, and not just as an expense.
"The cooperation with the Government of Montenegro, and especially with the Ministry of Sports and Youth, was fair and constructive. However, we must be completely realistic and precise: the existing allocations are not enough to meet the real needs of Montenegrin sports," said Simonović. He believes that sport is not only a top competition and medals, but also the health of the nation, the education of young people, social cohesion, international promotion of the country and a long-term investment. "If we want results, continuity and security for athletes, especially young people, then the financing of sports must be strategic, not ad hoc. That is why I believe that the next step is precisely in a systemic financing solution, through clear models and instruments such as the Sports Development Fund, which would enable predictability, fairness and long-term planning," said Simonović.
Speaking about the idea of establishing a Sports Development Fund, he said that this story is more realistic today than ever before.
"It is important to say that it is no longer at the level of an idea or political message, but that it has been opened as a serious systemic issue, with a growing awareness that the existing model of financing sports is simply not sustainable. We believe that establishing the Fund is possible and necessary, but only if a model is found that is legally based, financially realistic and sustainable in the long term," said Simonović.
He pointed out that for this reason, MOC proposed a specific model that does not imply an additional burden on the Budget, but rather better management of existing and alternative sources of funds.
"First of all, there are state-owned and majority-state companies, which already allocate significant funds for sports through sponsorships and donations. The problem is not whether these funds are allocated, but how they are distributed. Today, this process is largely unsystematic, without clear criteria, without monitoring the effects and real social contribution," said Simonović.
He specified that the second extremely important pillar is income from games of chance.
"This is a model that works in a large number of European countries, including our neighbors Croatia and Slovenia, and has proven to be good. By introducing a special dedicated mechanism or tax, a portion of these funds could be directly and legally directed to the Fund, without additional burdening the Budget. It is illogical, in fact, that not a single cent from games of chance goes to sports, the area that directly generates the largest portion of these funds," said Simonović.
According to him, the third segment that is underutilized in Montenegro is international and European funds.
"The reason is not a lack of funds, but a lack of project capacities and professional support for sports organizations. The Fund could have a special project team for the nomination and implementation of these programs, with the costs of that team not being financed from the state budget, but from the projects themselves, in accordance with the donor's rules," said the MOC president.
He believes that in the long term, there is room for more innovative models, such as directing a portion of excise tax revenues to tobacco and alcohol products, which is the practice in a number of European countries.
"This would directly link sport to public health and prevention policies, in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Our idea is that MOC would not be a direct beneficiary of the Fund's funds. The funds would be intended exclusively for associations, programs and projects of importance for the development of Montenegrin sports, in line with the national Sports Development Strategy and its action plans," said Simonović.
He specified that the essence of the Fund is not in creating a new administrative layer, but in establishing a stable, fair and predictable system of financing sports.
"If we want continuity of results, youth development and long-term sustainability of the sports system, the Fund is not a matter of choice, but a matter of responsibility," said Simonović.
Speaking about infrastructure, he reiterated that it is one of the biggest problems of Montenegrin sports and the most visible symptom of systemic weaknesses, not the only cause.
"When we talk about sports infrastructure, we are not just talking about the number of facilities, but about their availability, quality, maintenance and even distribution."
"In Montenegro, we have a situation where a large number of sports are developed in conditions that are far below modern standards. We lack gyms in smaller communities, athletics tracks that meet international standards, swimming pools that enable continuous operation, but also specialized facilities for basic and developmental categories," said Simonović.
He emphasized that the problem of availability of time slots is particularly pronounced - "often the question is not whether the facility exists, but whether it is functionally accessible to athletes, especially children and young people."
"In that sense, solutions exist, but they require a strategic approach. Public-private partnerships, clear standards for facility management, linking sports with tourism and the school system, as well as the role of the future Sports Development Fund in co-financing infrastructure, may be part of the answer," said Simonović.
"Should Podgorica, as the capital, be a standard and reference for the rest of the country - it should. Because, if Podgorica does not have basic sports infrastructure, then it is illusory to expect that smaller cities have better conditions."
"This is not about finding the culprit, but about the need for clear accountability and defining deadlines," said the president of the umbrella association of Montenegrin sports.
He emphasized that sport cannot develop on promises and temporary solutions.
"We need plans that are financially closed, realistic and time-bound, with a clearly defined division of responsibilities between local governments, the state and sports organizations. Without that, we will continue to have top athletes who achieve results despite the conditions, not thanks to them. And that is not a sustainable model for the development of sports, especially not in a city that should be its center," said Simonović.
Speaking about the work on amendments to the Law on Sports, Simonović said that it is a serious, demanding and inclusive process and that it is important for the public to understand that the law cannot be created or adopted overnight.
"The law has gone through significant phases and is currently, as far as we know, in the government procedure. I have previously said publicly that the previous Law on Sports was fundamentally bad, and its amendments a few years ago were even worse, because they were made in a hurry, without a real understanding of the sports system and without verifiable applicability in practice. In contrast, the current process of amending the Law was thorough and conducted with the participation of relevant stakeholders," said Simonović.
He emphasized that the new amendments clearly and unambiguously recognize the status of the MOC as an umbrella sports organization.
"I would especially like to emphasize that the solutions related to the financing of the MOC did not cause any objections - neither within the Working Group, nor during the public debate, nor from any interested party. This speaks of a broad consensus that such a position and such a financing model are legitimate, justified and functional," said Simonović.
He reminded that the MOC included its own budget in the sports budget and that it had been a separate budgetary unit for a long time.
"Later, for technical reasons, that amount was incorporated into the total sports budget. Our request was 20 percent, later there was talk of 15, and now the proposed solution is 12 percent. We believe that 12 percent is not enough to fully respond to the scope of jurisdiction, international obligations and development functions that the MOC has," said Simonović.
According to him, the question arises as to whether everything currently financed from the sports budget should really be its only burden or whether that budget should be intended exclusively for the development of sports.
"Our position was therefore responsible and balanced. Instead of insisting exclusively on our own needs, we were guided by the principle of systemic solidarity. We believed that it was more important to pass the law, to establish a clear and stable framework for financing sports, than to block the process. Sports do not win if organizations compete with each other for limited funds, sports only win if the system functions," said Simonović.
He emphasized that accepting this solution does not mean giving up ambitions, but rather understanding reality and respecting the broader public interest.
Responding to the question of whether coaches should also receive their legally regulated status, he said that the status of coaches is one of the key, and at the same time the longest neglected, issues in Montenegrin sports and that he believes that it must be clearly and systematically regulated.
"Coaches are the foundation of every sports system. They are the ones who create athletes, carry out development processes, work with children, young people and top athletes, often in extremely difficult conditions and without basic safety. The paradox is that we expect top results, continuity, responsibility and professionalism from coaches, while at the same time not offering them legal, social and professional security," said Simonović.
According to him, today a large number of coaches work without a clearly defined employment and legal status, do not have continuity of social and pension insurance, depend on short-term contracts and uncertain sources of funding, and do not have a clearly recognized profession in the system.
"This is not sustainable. If we want serious sport, we must have a seriously regulated status of coaches. This includes clearly defined criteria for practicing coaching, connecting with the education system and licensing, but also addressing issues of labor rights, social security and professional development," said the MOC president.
Simonović said that the decline in audience interest in sports events is not specific to Montenegro, but that it is "more clearly visible due to the size of the market and the profound social changes we have gone through."
"The audience has changed, as has the way people consume sports. We have digital platforms, social networks, streaming services, global sports available at any time. Young people today can watch the NBA, Premier League and Champions League in one day, often with top-notch production. In such competition, local sports have to actively fight for attention, and not assume audience loyalty," said Simonović.
He pointed out that another important factor is the quality of the sports product as a whole.
"This does not only mean the result, but also the infrastructure, comfort, playing time, atmosphere, safety, ticket prices, communication with fans. It is important to emphasize that the solution does not lie in nostalgia. We cannot bring back the eighties, but we can adapt sport to modern society," said Simonović.
Commenting on several incidents at youth games, he said that it was a serious warning.
"It is important that we approach this problem responsibly, without relativization, but also without sensationalism. Incidents at sports events, especially in younger categories, must be viewed primarily as a social problem that reflects on sports, and not as a problem of sports per se," said Simonović.
He emphasized that sport is a mirror of society and that if there is an increase in violence and disturbed value systems in society, then this inevitably spills over into the stands, fields and locker rooms.
"The fact that the most common offenders are minors further obliges us to react systematically, and not repressively as the only measure," said Simonović.
According to him, a very important pillar is education, because children do not come to the field with violence - it is learned.
He emphasized that the key role is played by coaches as educators, not just as sports experts, parents as the first role models, schools and local communities that must work on the values of respect, fair play and tolerance.
"Which was one of the reasons for us to simply start a conversation with the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation about including OVEP in the school curriculum. It is an education program based on Olympic values, developed by the IOC and starting next year as a pilot project in several Montenegrin elementary schools," said Simonović.
He reiterated that sport must be part of a broader preventive policy, in cooperation with the education system, social work centers, police, and local governments.
"Punishments are necessary, but they are not enough on their own. If we only react when an incident occurs, we are already too late. Protecting sports from violence means protecting children, but also preserving sports as a space in which life values are learned. If sports lose that role, they will lose their meaning. That is why this is not a question of one season or one incident, but a question of the long-term responsibility of the entire system," said Simonović.
He emphasized that during 2025, the umbrella association consciously opened up space for conversation about sports beyond results and medals.
"The forums and panels we organized were not just aimed at talking about successes, but also at bringing to the public what athletes, coaches, parents and sports workers face every day, which often remains invisible. The importance of sports is far broader than the competitive aspect. Sports are one of the most important tools for public health. In a country where we are seeing an increase in childhood obesity, a decline in physical activity and an increase in mental disorders in young people, sports represent the most natural and effective form of prevention," said Simonović.
He pointed out that regular sports practice not only affects physical health, but also mental stability, stress resistance, and the development of healthy habits that carry over into adulthood.
"The social dimension of sport is equally important. Through sport, children learn teamwork, discipline, responsibility, respect for rules and authority, but also how to deal with defeat and failure. Sport is often the first environment in which a child leaves the family circle and learns how to function in the community. For a large number of children, especially in vulnerable environments, sport is also a protective factor; a space that separates them from risky behaviors and gives them a sense of belonging," said Simonović.
Commenting on the fact of the increasing number of foreigners in national leagues, he said that sport is global and that the presence of foreign players can raise the quality of the league, professional standards, competition and audience interest.
"The problem arises when the measure is lost and when the national leagues cease to be a development platform for domestic players. National leagues must, above all, have a developmental function. If young Montenegrin athletes do not have the space to play, make mistakes, progress and take responsibility, then we lose the meaning of the existence of domestic competitions. In that case, the league becomes just a transit station for foreigners, without long-term benefits for national sport," said Simonović.
According to him, another problem is the structure and quality of foreigners.
"If players come who really raise the level of competition, transfer knowledge and professional habits, that can be beneficial. But if we are talking about a large number of average or short-term engagements, then a legitimate question arises: who does it actually benefit? The clubs maybe in the short term, but it is difficult for the system."
"That's why I think the solution is not a ban, but smart regulation," said Simonović.
He emphasized that it is particularly important that the financial and sporting interests of the clubs do not conflict with the interests of the national team.
"National teams cannot be built without a domestic player base, and that base is created precisely in domestic leagues," said Simonović.
When asked which of the sports positions he holds the most - president of the Gorštak Football Club, the Budućnost Karate Club or the MOK - he said that it was the most difficult for him to answer, because for him sport was never a question of title, but of meaning.
"Each of those roles carried a different weight and responsibility, but also a different emotion. The period in Gorštak and Buducnost connects me to the purest thing in sports - working on the field, with athletes, coaches, without big spotlights and without big systems behind you. That's where sport is lived every day. I am especially proud of those years because they taught me patience, responsibility and the reality of sport from below," said Simonović.
According to him, his position at the MOC, on the other hand, brought him the greatest responsibility.
"We are no longer talking about one club or one sport, but about the system, about athletes from all disciplines, about the international reputation of the country, about the values of Olympism. If I have to single out something that I am particularly proud of, then it is the fact that the MOC has become a stable, recognized and credible institution during that period, which has put athletes at the center and opened up topics that were previously kept quiet, from mental health, to gender equality, to the protection of integrity in sports," said Simonović.
He emphasized that the greatest result of Montenegrin sports is the Olympic medal from London, but that he is also proud of the European gold with the karate players and the cup final with the little Gorštak from Kolašin.
"Medals at the biggest competitions always evoke a special emotion, but honestly, I am most happy about those moments that confirm that sport has meaning. When you see an athlete who has risen from humble beginnings to the world stage; when a young person builds character through sport; when a national team, regardless of expectations, fights against those stronger than themselves, these are the moments that make it worth staying in sport for a lifetime," said Simonović.
He reiterated that the greatest result of Montenegrin sports is not a single medal, but the fact that a small country, with limited resources, manages to be present, competitive and recognized on the biggest sports scene year after year.
"And every time that happens, I'm just as happy - regardless of the position I was holding at that moment," Simonović concluded.
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