Josip Varvodić Elected President of Croatian Olympic Committee
Josip Varvodić was elected president of the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO) with 81 votes, defeating Dragan Primorac who received 68 votes; one ballot worth two votes was declared invalid. He succeeds Zlatko Mateša, who resigned in May 2026 after a corruption scandal involving the Croatian Ski Federation and the arrest of its director.
The new HOO Council, serving until 2028, includes four vice‑presidents – Frane Žanić (volleyball), Milivoj Bebić (Croatian Olympians Club), Željko Kisić (rowing) and Suzana Šop (Zagreb City Sports Association) – and a slate of members covering basketball, water polo, handball, football, boxing, karate, motorsports, and other sports federations. Varvodić announced that his first priority will be greater transparency, clear financial criteria and restoring public trust in the organization. He also signalled plans to limit presidential terms and to involve sports clubs, coaches and athletes more directly in decision‑making.
Dragan Primorac, after his defeat, congratulated Varvodić and stressed the importance of democratic practice and the need for the new president to build a strong, independent team to restore confidence in Croatian sport.
Entities: Croatian Olympic Committee · Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO) · Croatian Ski Federation · Dragan Primorac · Josip Varvodić · Kolinda Grabar Kitarović · Miroslav Buljan · Zlatko Mateš · Zlatko Mateša
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said the government will remain neutral and will not intervene in the HOO election. (new)
- [● 3 SOURCES] An extraordinary HOO assembly will be held on Wednesday at the Sheraton hotel in Zagreb to elect a new president. (new)
- [● 7 SOURCES] Zlatko Mateša resigned as HOO president on 21 May after a scandal involving the Croatian Ski Federation and the arrest of its director Vedran Pavlek. (multiple)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The voting body consists of 155 votes: 94 from Olympic‑sport federations, 54 from non‑Olympic, county and Zagreb federations, plus seven from commissions and MOO members. (new)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Josip Varvodić is president of the Croatian Swimming Federation. (new)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Dragan Primorac is president of the Croatian Taekwondo Federation. (new)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The candidates for HOO president are Josip Varvodić, Dragan Primorac and Miroslav Buljan. (new)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The election will be decided by secret ballot, and the winner will appoint the HOO Council members and other senior officials. (new)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Josip Varvodić serves as president of the Croatian Swimming Federation. (a7923983, f0b871ea-7736-4cb2-8b8b-d157e8230d5e)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The HOO election took place at an extraordinary assembly in the Sheraton hotel in Zagreb. (a7923983, f0b871ea-7736-4cb2-8b8b-d157e8230d5e)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The election was prompted by a corruption scandal involving the Croatian Ski Federation and the arrest of Damir Šegota. (multiple)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Josip Varvodić succeeded Zlatko Mateš as president of the Croatian Olympic Committee. (f0b871ea-7736-4cb2-8b8b-d157e8230d5e, a3fe3188)