A Web of Intimidation
The latest leak of Sky ECC messages, published by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and the Serbian investigative outlet KRIK, details a coordinated effort by Slaviša Kokeza to silence critics within Serbian football.
Kokeza, who once led the Football Association of Serbia, is alleged to have instructed his associates to threaten the family of Nemanja Vidić, the former Manchester United captain, after Vidić publicly denounced corruption in the sport. The messages reveal that Kokeza wanted to employ people linked to Serbian criminals and Red Star Belgrade hooligans to carry out the intimidation.
According to the intercepted chats, Kokeza considered hiring men in Milan to apply pressure on Vidić, illustrating the transnational reach of the intimidation campaign. The plans also included physical attacks on other former national team players who had voiced support for Vidić.
Vidić, unaware of the plot, expressed concern for his safety and criticized the institutions that failed to protect him, saying he never received a warning from Serbian authorities. The revelations have sparked renewed debate about the role of organized crime in the country's football governance.
The fallout from the scandal forced Kokeza to resign from his position and go into hiding, while pro‑government tabloids began accusing him of corruption and ties to criminal networks. The episode underscores how political pressure, exemplified by references to President Aleksandar Vučić and his party, can intertwine with sport and illicit activity.
Among the figures named in the investigation are several prominent Serbian football personalities, including Zvezdan Terzić, Veljko Belivuk, Slobodan Milutinović, Mihajlo Pjanović, Nenad Lalatović, Dragan Mrđa, Nemanja Matić and Danko Lazović, all of whom are now under scrutiny for their alleged involvement in the intimidation network.