USVPSCG: Our judges perform their work extremely professionally, responsibly and without favoritism towards any team

Montenegrin water polo referees perform their work extremely professionally, responsibly and without favoritism towards any team, the Association of Referees and Delegates of the VPSCG announced today.

They reacted after Primorac's announcement. Pthe president of the club from Kotor, Siniša Kovačević, after the first game of the final playoff series of the Montenegrin championship against Jadran m:tela said that "your self confirmed our claims that the Montenegrin water polo referees were not up to the championship final matches, despite guarantees from the VPSCG that they have complete confidence in their administration of justice."

We are transmitting the reaction of the USVPSCG in its entirety:

"As the USVPSCG, we cannot help but speak out regarding the daily accusations that have been made through the media and in other ways in recent months by the Primorac VPK.

Our referees perform their work in a highly professional, responsible and non-biased manner. They are internationally recognized referees who referee the most demanding matches throughout Europe and the region throughout the season. In recent years, we have witnessed our referees taking part in the Regional League finals, the Champions League finals, the Eurocup, as well as the final matches of the European and World Championships in the junior categories, including the Olympic Games elimination matches.

Therefore, the claim that we are not up to the Montenegrin league finals simply does not hold up, nor do the claims that referees from Malta would have done a better job – especially considering that there are no Maltese referees internationally. We note that VPK Primorac won the Montenegrin Championship with these same referees last season, and the Montenegrin Cup this season. So the story about biased refereeing also does not hold up.

We consider the statements in the Montenegrin media to be an attempt to put pressure on us. As proof of this, we state that in the last ten years or more, there has not been a single official objection from any club in Montenegro. We urge everyone, if they have objections, to do so through the prescribed procedures within the VPSCG, and not through the media.

"We will continue to do our job professionally, impartially and in a sporting spirit, as we have done so far, and we will not make any further statements on this matter," the Association of Judges and Delegates of the VPSCG announced.