Associations launch joint championship

The Football Association of Republika Srpska (FA RS), the Serbian entity in Bosnia-Herzegovina, has joined the country's recognised national football association (NSBiH), putting the seal on more then five years of discussions supervised by UEFA and FIFA.

Common domestic championship
In a unanimous vote, the joint extraordinary General Assembly of the NSBiH also decided to introduce a common domestic championship for the whole territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the coming 2002/03 season. This move was necessary for further participation in the UEFA club competitions. The new  "Premijer Liga" will comprise 20 clubs: 12 clubs from the present top division, and the winners and runners-up from the second division. They will be joined by the six best-placed clubs from the FA RS competition.

Three-member presidency
For the first time, delegates from both entities (FA RS and Football Federation of Bosnia Herzegovina, FFBiH) met at the extraordinary General Assembly in Sarajevo and elected the three members of the presidency of the NSBiH.

First president elected
Jusuf Pusina, who until now has been president of the national association recognised by FIFA and UEFA, has been elected as the first president of the joint NSBiH. The first vice-president, who will succeed Mr Pusina in 16 months' time, is Dr Milan Jelic, president of the FA RS, while Iljo Dominkovic has been elected as second vice-president.

FIFA/UEFA delegation present
A joint FIFA/UEFA delegation was present in Sarajevo for the deliberations. The delegation comprised Jean Fournet-Fayard, member of the FIFA National Associations Committee and a former member of the UEFA Executive Committee and Marcel Benz, a UEFA senior manager from the legal services and national associations unit within European football's governing body.

First move in February
At a meeting in Banja Luka in February, the FA RS General Assembly made their first significant moves towards unification, agreeing to adopt the FA RS statutes in accordance with statutory provisions set up by NSBiH, FIFA and UEFA.

Concrete results
"After so many years of discussion, we have come to achieve concrete results for the good of football in Bosnia-Herzegovina and, in particular, for the development of football in Republika Srpska," the joint UEFA and FIFA delegation said in a statement.

Monitoring role
"Furthermore, FIFA and UEFA will not withdraw from the issue. They will keep a watchful eye over the next steps in the reconciliation process, and will ensure that each party respects the rules and derives the benefits which have been promised to them," the statement added.

Help and support
The delegation concluded: "FIFA and UEFA will assist the working group which was created and appointed during the meeting, and which consists of members from both entities, in preparing revised statutory provisions. Through NSBiH, it will also help and support both football entities in developing football in all categories."