31.01.2025.
Military Sports Day marked
A ceremony to mark the Military Sports Day was held at the Athletic Hall in Belgrade today.
At the ceremony, Minister of Sport Zoran Gajić, accompanied by acting Assistant Minister for Human Resources Siniša Radović and the Head of the Delegation of the Republic of Serbia to the International Military Sports Council (CISM), Colonel Negovan Ivanković, Ph.D., presented the Military Athlete of the Year 2024 Award. The award, which went to judoka Aleksandar Kukolj, a member of the Sports Unit of the Military Academy, Defence University, was accepted on Kukolj’s behalf by his father, Nedeljko Kukolj. Minister Gajić also presented the Military Sports Team of the Year 2024 Award to the 3x3 basketball team of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, which took second place at the 3rd CISM World Military 3x3 Basketball Championship.
On that occasion, Minister Gajić said that the support for the Serbian Armed Forces athletes was not only important for the military, but that their activities had a much greater and wider social significance.
- By doing major sports, top SAF athletes do not only improve their military skills, but also motivate and inspire others to strive for excellence both in their professional and personal lives. A combination of discipline, team spirit and commitment make you excellent ambassadors of the Serbian Armed Forces who contribute to the prestige and reputation of our armed forces in the country and on the international scene – emphasized the Minister of Sport.Head of Delegation Col. Ivanković said that celebrating the Military Sports Day preserved the memory of a glorious military history intertwined with sports.
- Continuing our glorious predecessors’ work, all of us involved in sports in the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces strive to be worthy heirs to such a rich legacy. It is very significant that today military sports are recognized in Serbia’s Strategy on Sports Development and that there is an initiative to establish the Defence Sports Association of the Republic of Serbia - said Colonel Ivanković, stressing that doing sports is extremely important for achieving and maintaining top physical and mental fitness for all members of the defence system.
Special awards for the contribution to strengthening the reputation of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces through great athletic achievements in 2024 were awarded to civilian Elzan Bibić, a member of the Sports Unit who broke two national records in 2000 m and 5000 m and achieved notable athletic achievements in the previous year and to Sergeant Đuro Borbelj, a member of the Sports Unit, for achieving great success in numerous races. The award also went to Captain 1st Class Nevena Jovanović from the Special Purpose Military Police Detachment "Kobre" for winning medals in the marathon and half marathon events and in numerous other races.Other winners of the achievement award were the Serbian military futsal team, which won the prestigious 14th CISM Futsal Cup For Peace in Slovenia, the Serbian Armed Forces paratrooper team, which achieved notable success at international competitions, the Serbian national orienteering team and the “Sokolovi” (Falcons) team from the 72nd Special Operations Brigade, which took first place at the Military Police Competition for the third time.
The awards were presented by the Vice President of the Olympic Committee of Serbia, Žarko Zečević, accompanied by the Head of the Office of the Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Goran Momčilović, and Colonel Ivanković.
The Young Military Athlete of the Year 2024 Award went to Adrijan Radenković, a 51st class student of the Military Grammar School, for his swimming success. The award was presented to him by the Rector of the Defence University, Brigadier General Boban Đorović, Ph.D., accompanied by the Commandant of the Military Academy, Col. Srđan Blagojević, Ph.D., and Colonel Ivanković.At today's ceremony, Head of the Serbian Delegation to the CISM Col. Ivanković presented awards to institutions and associates who made a contribution to the development of military sports.
The Military Sports Day celebrates the memory of the day when Lieutenant Aleksandar Josifović, an officer of the Royal Serbian Army, took first place at a big international officer fencing tournament held in the Netherlands in 1907 to mark 100 years since the start of the development of physical culture in that country.
