Serbian television pundit Rade Bogdanovic has sparked widespread outrage after making a racist comment during a World Cup match between Belgium and Iran. The incident occurred during a live broadcast on Serbia's state-owned RTS channel, where Bogdanovic was providing analysis.
What happened during the broadcast?
While discussing Belgium's multi-ethnic squad, Bogdanovic said: Look at their team, it's like they're from all over the world. They have players from Africa, from Asia... it's not a real Belgian team.
The comment was widely condemned as racist and xenophobic, drawing criticism from fans, journalists, and officials across Europe.
Reactions and condemnation
The Serbian Journalists' Association issued a statement condemning the remarks, calling them unacceptable and damaging to the reputation of Serbian journalism.
The Belgian embassy in Belgrade also expressed dismay, stating that Belgium is proud of its diversity. Social media users called for Bogdanovic to be removed from his role, with many sharing clips of the incident.
According to the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, this is not the first time Bogdanovic has faced accusations of bias or inappropriate comments. However, this incident has drawn particular attention due to the global platform of the World Cup.
Impact and consequences
The Serbian government has not officially commented, but the incident has reignited debates about racism in Serbian media and football. Some analysts argue that such comments reflect deeper societal issues in the Balkans. As of now, RTS has not issued a public apology or announced any disciplinary action against Bogdanovic.
