What happened: After the semi-final game that ended with victory for Vardar (a team with traditionally
Macedonian players and supporters), the players of the team of Shkupi (a team with traditionally
Albanian players and supporters) attacked the guest players from Vardar, after which, members in
the audience interfered and attacked the players of Vardar and delegates of Macedonian Basketball
Association, throwing hard objects at them.
Date, time and location of the incident: June 8th,Sports hall Anton Dimitrov, Butel, Skopje. .
Source of information: National electronic media Brif.mk.
Victim(s) involved: Multiple players of youth basketball team Vardar and several delegates of
Macedonian Basketball Association.
Type of the crime(s): Severe Bodily Harm Art. 131 CCRM, Violence (Art.386), Endangerment of
safety (Art.144), Incitement of hate, discord and intolerance on national, racial religious or other
discriminatory ground (Art.319).
Perpetrator(s): Unknown number of perpetrator/s.
Brief description of incident with bias indicators: The bias motive in this incident is ethnic origin,
citizenship or language, and the bias indicators in this incident are:
1. Presumed difference between perpetrator and victim on ethnic grounds – due to the traditionally different
ethnic composition of players and supporters clubs, it can be presumed that the ethnicity of the
victims differ from the one of the perpetrators.
2. Location and timing – the incident happened shortly after a change in presence of minority in the
environment – Macedonian players and supporters club on a field hosted by a club with traditional
Albanian players and supporters club.
3. Nature of violence – the incident was carried out in public.
4. Lack of other motives.
Status of the case: Unknown.
Response of local authorities: The police stated via the media that they will undertake the appropriate
measures. However, The Ministry of Interior stated via Answer upon a Request for information of
public character sent by the Committee that there have been no violations against the Public peace
and order during the game.
Impact on the victim(s) and the community: This type of incidents brings into question the general
security situation in the country and the cohabitation between the different ethnic communities in
the society, and the safety on the sports fields as well.
