Minister defends controversial footballer

Rasim Ljajic has spoken out in defense of national team footballer Adem Ljajic, by saying he had "made a mistake when he refused to sing the Serbian anthem". "He certainly made a mistake, but instead of helping him find his way out of it, a hysterical reaction is taking place to destroy a sporting career," Rasim Ljajic said. Minister defends controversial footballer The cabinet minister and leader of the SDPS party and the footballer both hail from Serbia's southwestern Raska District, known informally as Sandzak, and both are ethnic Bosniaks (Muslims). The incident that resulted in Adem Ljajic's removal from the national team happened in Switzerland earlier this week, ahead of a friendly Serbia played against Spain. Ljajic told coach Sinisa Mihajlovic that he would not sing the anthem ahead of the game "for personal reasons", and as that went against a code of conduct that he had previously signed, he was sent back home. Rasim Ljajic said on Wednesday that the footballer must respect the rules he had signed, "and the state that he lives in", and added that his patriotism was "unquestionable". "His father told me a hundred times that he (Adem) had offers to play for other countries in the region, but that he refused them all and stayed in Serbia. His patriotism is unquestionable and he needs to prove himself further on the pitch. We all need to help him, the Football Association, and all of us," pleaded Rasim Ljajic. Adem's father Sahmir Ljajic publicly apologized for his son's gesture, saying that he failed to sing the national anthem "because he did not know the lyrics", and asked that his son not be used for "political bickering". A statement from the Serbian Football Association (FSS) said that coach Sinisa Mihajlovic met with Adem Ljajic, who informed him that he did not sing the anthem due to personal reasons, "and that that stance would not change". After that, the footballer was sent home. The statement however added that "the door has not been closed forever on the national team but he needs to change his attitude and officially notify Mihajlovic". Adem Ljajic currently plays for Italy's Fiorentina, where he was recently involved in another incident that ended in the sacking of the club's coach, Delio Rossi. The player, dissatisfied with being substituted during an Italian championship game, sarcastically applauded the coach, after which they exchanged insults, with Rossi finally physically attacking him. Adem Ljajic (file) B92 Tanjug

Minister defends controversial footballer

The cabinet minister and leader of the SDPS party and the footballer both hail from Serbia's southwestern Raška District, known informally as Sandžak, and both are ethnic Bosniaks (Muslims).

The incident that resulted in Adem Ljajić's removal from the national team happened in Switzerland earlier this week, ahead of a friendly Serbia played against Spain. Ljajić told coach Siniša Mihajlović that he would not sing the anthem ahead of the game "for personal reasons", and as that went against a code of conduct that he had previously signed, he was sent back home.

Rasim Ljajić said on Wednesday that the footballer must respect the rules he had signed, "and the state that he lives in", and added that his patriotism was "unquestionable".

"His father told me a hundred times that he (Adem) had offers to play for other countries in the region, but that he refused them all and stayed in Serbia. His patriotism is unquestionable and he needs to prove himself further on the pitch. We all need to help him, the Football Association, and all of us," pleaded Rasim Ljajić.

Adem's father Sahmir Ljajić publicly apologized for his son's gesture, saying that he failed to sing the national anthem "because he did not know the lyrics", and asked that his son not be used for "political bickering".

A statement from the Serbian Football Association (FSS) said that coach Siniša Mihajlović met with Adem Ljajić, who informed him that he did not sing the anthem due to personal reasons, "and that that stance would not change".

After that, the footballer was sent home. The statement however added that "the door has not been closed forever on the national team but he needs to change his attitude and officially notify Mihajlović".

Adem Ljajić currently plays for Italy's Fiorentina, where he was recently involved in another incident that ended in the sacking of the club's coach, Delio Rossi. The player, dissatisfied with being substituted during an Italian championship game, sarcastically applauded the coach, after which they exchanged insults, with Rossi finally physically attacking him.