Today marks a significant day – pending no major upheavals, which can always occur in Montenegrin sports – the water polo and swimming association is set to appoint a new president.

Nikola Milić and Veljko Uskokovic are the two candidates, with Milić emerging as a strong frontrunner in recent days.

Milić, a 40-year-old entrepreneur who played in youth categories for Primorac, has earned the backing of seven clubs, as announced by the Water Polo and Swimming Association following the verification of candidacies. These clubs include Jadran Mtel, Budva – Budva Riviera, Budućnost, Akvatik Verde, Mladost, Baterflaj, and Nikšić.

Conversely, Uskoković has garnered support from Primorac, whose representatives, including vice president Siniša Kovačević and assembly president Mirza Krcic, distanced themselves from the Alliance earlier this summer. Recently, Primorac’s leadership expressed dissatisfaction with the election of the president and vice president of the assembly, Dejan Rađenović and Rajko Ćupić respectively, claiming there was an informal agreement among a few clubs regarding candidates, and that Primorac’s representatives were marginalized during the session.

Just two days ago, the celebrated Yugoslav and Montenegrin water polo player urged the delegates of the VPSCG assembly via Facebook to “overcome their fears and vote according to their conscience.”

“With the upcoming Electoral Assembly of the VPSCG approaching, I want to emphasize that the development of swimming and water polo in Montenegro is at a crucial juncture. Over the past decade, the performance of our national teams and clubs has significantly fallen short of expectations. I believe I reflect the sentiments of the majority of swimming and water polo enthusiasts in our country, and we should be dissatisfied with the management of the Association thus far,” Uskoković stated.

He also conveyed a message to his opponent, saying:

“It is evident to everyone that my esteemed opponent represents a continuation of the current Alliance leadership. If you wish for the status quo to remain intact, the choice is straightforward,” Uskoković asserted.

The renowned athlete asked the delegates to consider their votes carefully:

“I want us to unite in our fight for the future of our sports, grounded in a strong foundation with the solutions that I frequently discuss and have included in my Work Plan and Program submitted to the clubs and assembly delegates. The claim that the general sponsor will cease funding our sports if I win is false and trivial, similar to those perpetuating this misinformation. Despite the numerous promises circulating recently, I urge the delegates to deliberate wisely, dispel their unfounded fears, and vote true to their beliefs,” Uskoković concluded.

The extraordinary Electoral Assembly is set to commence today at 4:00 PM, and VPSCG will appoint its fourth president. Srdjan Kovačević led from 2006 to 2016, Dejan Bajic from 2016 to 2020, and Djuro Marić held the position from May 2021 until early September this year when he stepped down for personal reasons.

Once the new association president is determined, the focus will shift to the selection of the A national team coach. A successor is expected to replace Vladimir Gojković, who departed from the “Shark” bench upon the expiration of his contract in August.

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