Bosnia on collision course with FIFA

Bosnia remained on a collision course with FIFA on Wednesday after repeating its refusal to make required changes to its football federation (NSBIH) statute.

FIFA and UEFA have threatened to exclude Bosnia from international competition unless it accepted changes aimed at replacing the NSBIH’s ethnic-based tripartite presidency by a single president.

“Imposing a single president will never get support of any structure in Republika Srpska,” Rajko Vasic, executive secretary of the ruling Union of Independent Social-Democrats (SNSD) told SRNA news agency.

Post-war Bosnia consists of two semi independent entities – the Serb-run Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation.

Vasic added that there were “incredible pressures from Sarajevo and some international associations that demand centralisation of football organisations in Bosnia”.

The NSBIH rejected the demanded changes in July but FIFA and UEFA have given them until March 31 next year to change their minds.

Republika Srpska “needs to secure the right to its own football representation,” Vasic insisted.

The NSBIH, often criticised by football fans and players, reflects the country’s ethnic divisions.

Bosnia narrowly missed out on qualifying for this year’s World Cup after losing their play-off to Portugal.