Scandal at Zavidovići Open 2026: alleged 'referee' stripped in front of underage players

A major incident marred the women’s volleyball tournament "Zavidovići Open 2026", held last weekend as part of Zavidovići’s City Day celebrations: participants say a group of people from Norway, introduced to teams as referees, staged disturbing scenes that culminated in alleged sexual harassment of young players.

What happened during the match

The Banja Luka club UOK Banja Luka Voley says some of its players, including minors, were included without their knowledge or consent in what the club describes as a "social experiment" organized by the tournament hosts together with visitors from Norway.

According to the club, the Norwegians were presented to teams as "judges" but quickly revealed they did not even know basic volleyball rules. That, the club says, was only the start of the problem.

Witnesses reported that one of the alleged referees fell from a chair that had been chained to a volleyball post. He appeared to be covered in blood, with stains on his shirt and face, prompting concern that he had been injured. Rather than seeking help, the man reportedly began to smear himself with feathers. The most shocking moment, the club says, came when the Norwegian removed his clothing and, wearing only a thong, exposed his buttocks in front of children and the audience.

UOK Banja Luka Voley says the incident caused shock and distress among the young players and their parents. The club announced it will file criminal charges against the tournament organiser, OK Krivaja Zavidovići, citing the trauma suffered and the participation of their players in what it calls a bizarre, premeditated experiment carried out without consent.

The Volleyball Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina publicly distanced itself from the tournament and the reported experiment. Tournament organisers have not publicly responded to the allegations, and local authorities may investigate the matter further.

Photo: EPA/JOSE MANUEL VIDAL