In between battles: the first football championship of the Republic of Srpska Krajina in 1992/1993

Abstract

The article describes the circumstances that led to the revival of sports events in the territory of the Republic of Srpska Krajina in the second half of 1992, temporarily interrupted due to the war. First competitions started in football, by far the most popular sport. After the first part of the competition had ended according to the regional principle, the winners of the five regional competitions met at the final tournament in Glina at the beginning of August 1993. The title of the first champion of RSK was taken by the host team, Banija from Glina, ahead of Šparta from Beli Manastir. The paper was written on the basis of press and publications from Krajina and sports press from Serbia, relevant literature, material from Croatian archives and published memories. 

Summary: The Republic of Srpska Krajina has been a war zone and a territory under protection of the United Nations throughout its existence. Since it was created in the complex circumstances of the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Civil War in Croatia, it tried to build state institutions and create a semblance of normal life. Accordingly, besides fierce political battles and constant warfare, some sort of cultural, educational and sports life was going on. Until the end of the 1990/1991 season, sports clubs from the area that later became part of the Republika Srpska Krajina competed in competitions within the (Socialist) Republic of Croatia. When the war intensified, and ties with Zagreb were cut off, the sport died in a wide area affected by armed conflicts. When the implementation of the Vance Peace Plan and the deployment of the United Nations Protection Force began, there was a desire to restore sports life in the “protected area”. The most popular sport in Krajina was, of course, football, and the first football championship began in the second half of 1992. It was played according to the regional principle, and the winners of the regional competitions met at the final tournament in Glina, which took place from August 1 to 6, 1993. Over the course of several days, the five best Krajina teams, not far from the front line, competed for the prestigious title of the first football champion of the Republic of Srpska Krajina. The following participated: FC Dinara from Knin, winner of the championship of Northern Dalmatia and Lika; FC Banija from Glina, winner of the championship of Banija and Kordun; FC Begovača from Šeovica (near Pakrac), winner of the championship of Western Slavonia; FC Hajduk Mirko from Mirkovci, winner of the championship of Eastern Slavonia and Western Srem; and FC Sparta from Beli Manastir, winner of the Baranja Championship. In a very uncertain tournament, only thanks to a better goal difference, RSK’s first championship title was won by the host team, FC Banija from Glina.