Filip Milosevski: When you represent North Macedonia, name and symbols are non‑negotiable
Milosevski recalled a 2015 bus incident in Doha and demanded institutional measures to protect the national team's name and insignia.
Former secretary of the Handball Federation of North Macedonia, Filip Milosevski, issued a pointed appeal on 8 November 2026 after the national team’s match in Greece and a live broadcast that used the abbreviation "NMKD" to refer to the side. Milosevski, who together with Zhivko Mukaetov helped to build the team’s identity in Europe, said the episode reminded him of an earlier incident and called on the federation to ensure the correct use of the country’s name and insignia in international events.
Historical example and a demand for institutional response
Milosevski recalled a case from 2015 to underline his point and urged the federation to act formally and decisively.
He wrote: "On 12 January 2015, the senior handball team of Macedonia landed in Doha, after taking part in the preparatory tournament in Nantes, France, immediately before the start of the World Championship.
After a seriously long journey, at the airport we were met by a bus that had \"FYR Macedonia\" written on it.
I told the guys to wait. I contacted the organizer and after about an hour the bus was 'rebranded'. Only then did we board and head to the hotel.
From the delegation, which numbered at least thirty people, not one spoke a word. There was no protest, no questions about why we were waiting. Everyone knew why we were doing it. Because when you represent Macedonia, there are things that are not up for negotiation."
Milosevski said that the matter is not about pride but about dignity, protocol and respect for the national team, and asked the Handball Federation of North Macedonia to take an institutional approach to prevent misuse of the team’s name and symbols in future broadcasts and events.
On the sporting side, Milosevski noted that one defeat does not determine a whole qualifying cycle, citing past losses to Greece — in 2002 in Kukush and in 2018 in Kozani — and the federation’s later successes: reaching the playoff for the 2003 World Championship (where they were eliminated by Iceland) and qualifying for the European Championship 2020 despite earlier setbacks.
He closed by urging the federation’s new leadership to consolidate experience and knowledge within Macedonian handball, to listen to diverse voices and act in the national team’s interest. "If you succeed, I will be among the first to publicly congratulate you," he wrote, ending the message with: "Always with ❤️ for North Macedonia 🇲🇰🇲🇰! Sports greetings!"
Photo: press material from the event
