A high school in Srebrenica has allegedly threatened students with sanctions for wearing Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team jerseys. Pupils were warned they could receive a lower conduct grade if they came to school wearing the national team's kit.
Sanja Mocevic, the director of the JU Secondary School Center Srebrenica in Bosnia's Republika Srpska entity, reportedly told students not to wear the jerseys to school in the future. The school allegedly described the national team jerseys as offensive.
Murat Tahirovic, president of the Association of Victims and Witnesses of Genocide, called for an urgent investigation into the case. "If it is true that the student of the Srebrenica High School Center was reprimanded because she came to school in the jersey of the football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that the students were then threatened with sanctions for wearing such a jersey, then this is a procedure that is deeply worrying and unacceptable," Tahirovic said.
Tahirovic demanded a public explanation of the regulations under which the national team jersey was deemed unacceptable. He also called on education authorities in Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina to protect students from discrimination and humiliation. "Srebrenica is a place of genocide, but it must not be a place where children are taught that Bosnia and Herzegovina is undesirable," he added.
This story emerges as the national team shows signs of recovery in its recent performances. The side just secured an important victory over Poland, thanks to a penalty from Ivan Bašić. That was the first win in the last five matches.
The team now prepares for an away fixture against Sweden, continuing its qualification campaign. The historical context of Srebrenica, where in July 1995 Bosnian Serb forces systematically killed Bosniak men and boys in a genocide, gives particular weight to this school incident. Allegations of threats against students over national symbols directly contradict the values of sport and unity that the Bosnia and Herzegovina football team represents. The full squad and injury list can be checked on the squad page.
The report in full is at turkiyetoday.com
