The book “Veljko Uskoković, a Water Polo Career for Pride,” authored by Dubravko Stamatović, was launched tonight at the “Radosav Ljumović” National Library in Podgorica.

Several speakers took the stage during the event, including Dušan Simonović, president of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee (COK), veteran RTCG journalist Branko Vujisić, and celebrated water polo player Veljko Uskoković, with Sabrija Vulić serving as the moderator.

Dušan Simonović, COK President, remarked on the honor Uskoković had in carrying Montenegro’s flag at the first Olympic Games post-independence in Beijing 2008, underscoring its significance as he led the water polo national team.

Branko Vujisić, a seasoned sports journalist at RTCG, reflected on Uskoković’s impressive achievements, highlighting his collection of three gold medals in Europe, an Olympic bronze, as well as silver and bronze medals in both European and world competitions, in addition to gold from the Mediterranean Games and the Universiade.

“This is the first book uniquely dedicated to a Montenegrin athlete who genuinely deserves it. Unfortunately, we often see glorification of athletes who do not merit such recognition,” Vujisić stated.

During the promotion, it was announced that all proceeds from book sales would benefit the “Be Human” Foundation.

Veljko Uskoković addressed the attendees, expressing his gratitude: “Thank you all for coming in such numbers. My thanks extend to the media, family, friends, athletes, sports professionals, and those who couldn’t make it tonight but contributed to bringing this book to life. I am especially grateful to Dušan Simonović, Branko Vujisić, and Sabrija Vulić for their kind words about the book. A special greeting to Mr. Goran Jovanović, founder of the ‘Be Human’ Foundation. You’re surely aware of the amazing work they do to support those in need, which inspired me to start this project,” Uskoković shared in his opening remarks.

He elaborated on the book’s inception: “The real hero of this book is its author, Dubravko Stamatović, who, regrettably, was unable to attend tonight. He was the primary reason this book came to fruition. Over my 40-year career, I meticulously amassed photos, documents, and videos. After four decades, it seemed a shame to leave this material gathering dust. I reached out to Mr. Stamatović, knowing he was knowledgeable in this area, and he suggested that a book would be the most appropriate outlet. Initially skeptical, I eventually embraced the idea after witnessing his thorough and quality approach,” Uskoković added.

“This book provides a retrospective of my sports journey and includes anecdotes from my personal life. It encompasses not only significant competitions I’ve participated in but also the lesser-known matches I hold dear. The narrative encompasses not just my story but also the sports history spanning 40 years in Kotor, Montenegro, Yugoslavia, and even globally, seen through my perspective and Mr. Stamatović’s insights. It captures experiences with teammates, both past and present, though sadly, some of the coaches I worked with are no longer with us,” Uskoković noted.

He also expressed hopes that his book could inspire fellow Montenegrin athletes: “I am thrilled to see this book published and would love for it to encourage other athletes, particularly former ones, to pursue similar projects. I am convinced that biographies of athletes like Igor Vušurović, Bojana Popović, Katarina Bulatović, Goran Đukanović, Ratko Đurković, and Vlad Šćepanović would also be hits. While Dejan Savićević has received a song, I believe he deserves a book as well. Thus, I hope this marks a significant step in that direction. We owe it to the Montenegrin sports community and future generations to leave behind a record of our sports legends,” he concluded.

During the event, letters from Mirko Vičević, a legendary player and Hall of Fame member now coaching Slovenia, and Boro Mračević, president of the Assembly of the Jadran VK, were read aloud.

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