Serbia's men's Olympic water polo team is in turmoil after head coach Uros Stevanovic resigned and 11 players from the European gold medal-winning squad announced a boycott, the country's water polo federation confirmed.

The crisis erupted following controversial remarks by newly appointed federation president Slobodan Soro, who took office on April 29. Soro allegedly dismissed the team's European Championship victory in January as a result of "momentary inspiration" and claimed the national team was no longer at its previous level.

In an open letter released Friday, the players stated: "We unanimously decided to withdraw from Serbia's national team as long as Slobodan Soro and his team remain in charge." They emphasized that their gold medals were "not the product of momentary inspiration" but "of years of great sacrifice."

The federation published the letter on its website, noting it was signed by "seven former and four current" national team players. The federation also said it "does not wish to take part in what a perfectly normal process within a sports body has turned into."

Serbia, a world powerhouse in water polo, won gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics but failed to qualify for the World Cup finals in Sydney this July. Soro, a former goalkeeper, has not yet commented on the boycott.

The European title, won in Belgrade earlier this year, was a highlight before the crisis. The players' boycott and coach's resignation leave the team's future uncertain as they face upcoming competitions.

Source: www.aljazeera.com