By Antigoni Zachari / info@eurohoops.net
Stefan Jankovic and Crvena Zvezda have parted ways after the player initiated his departure from the club with an open letter which was released on Wednesday.
Jankovic notes that he has become a free agent since Crvena Zvezda failed to meet the contract rules.
In the player’s words:
“Following this decision, I address the public with the desire to avoid any speculation regarding my decision to initiate the termination of the contract with my current club. As an athlete and a professional, I have always performed my duties conscientiously in accordance with rules and regulations in clubs, as well as schools where I played basketball. On the other hand, during and after the 2017/18 season, Crvena Zvezda has repeatedly violated the terms of the contract.
After a series of irregularities that included an attempt to challenge illegal activities by preventing my right to leave the club, I feel obliged to publicly say it, but also to address the court in order to protect myself. Because of everything that happened, I made a decision to file a lawsuit against the club, for which I will be able to talk about only after the verdict.”
Crvena Zvezda addressed the issue with a statement that was released early on Thursday.
“KK Crvena Zvezda is surprised by the fact that Stefan Janković has published an open letter to the public, in which we, as a club, have been informed us that he is no longer a player of the team.
KK Crvena Zvezda as a serious organization cannot rely on arbitrary information such as that Stefan Jankovic, contrary to all the rules, signed a pre-contract worth 80 thousand euros for the next season with a different club, that he attended a game of said club against Romanian team a few days ago, and that he hired a legal representative in this dispute who was a member of the Board of another club.”
The club hints that Jankovic knew the verdict of the lawsuit before publishing his open letter, but also states that all financial obligations towards the player have been settled.
Now the case is to be dealt with the Serbian Olympic Committee and in court.