Bosnian Cup Derby Between FK Borac & Zeljeznicar Abandoned After Linesman Stoned On Touchline (Video)

Chris Wright

5th, April 2012

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By Chris Wright

The Bosnian Cup semi-final between FK Borac Banjaluka and Zeljeznicar Sarajevo had to be abandoned yesterday evening after home fans began pelting the linesman with stones – with one missile drawing blood from the back of the official’s cranium…

Serving as a fine example of the hole Bosnian domestic football is currently in, referee Midhat Arnatuvic’s decision to abandon the game marked the second successive time the fixture has had to be written off mid-game due to crowd violence, whipped up by nationalist chanting and ethnic provocation.

The league game between the two sides back in September was aborted when Borac fans invaded the pitch and began slinging rocks and flares up into the Zeljeznicar support. This all came after the Borac fans had unfurled a banner stating their support for Bosnian Serb militant leader Ratko Mladic – who had previously been arrested and put on trial in The Hague on suspicion of war crimes and genocide.

In short, it’s a bit of a vicious, hate-fueled political shit tip at the moment.