Dragan Primorac calls for political neutrality in Croatian Olympic Committee election

Dragan Primorac, president of the Croatian Taekwondo Federation and candidate for president of the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO), held a press conference urging that the selection of HOO leadership be decided by athletes and sports organisations, not political parties. He condemned recent political pressure and interference in the HOO presidential election, warning that such meddling threatens athletes' rights to compete under the Olympic Charter.

Primorac cited past examples where political intrusion led to sanctions, referencing the exclusion of India's Olympic Committee (2012‑2014) and Kuwait's repeated bans (2010‑2012, 2015‑2019). He stressed the need for the election process to adhere to the HOO Statute, ethical rules, and the core principles of neutrality, ethics, and mutual respect enshrined in the Olympic Charter. He appealed to all parties to refrain from influencing the outcome, asserting that the legitimacy of the new HOO president must rest with athletes, federation representatives, and local sports bodies.