Balkan scene is always interesting because it is so unexpected that you don’t even know what’s going to happen next. One of interesting cases is that of an ex-leader of BBB Zagreb, who went from one extreme to another.
He was born in family of four, they were not too religious, but he used to go to some trips organized by church when he was young, but only so he can be without parents’ supervision, get drunk in Rome and stuff that young men like to do.
He considers himself as an addicted personality, during school he was fascinated with computers, then skating, then punk, then he started visiting games. “I was fascinated with the unity of the group, alcohol, adrenaline during fights loud singing, choreographies etc”.
“Soon I was on every game, home, away, it wasn’t a problem to travel thousands of kilometers to watch a friendly match of Dinamo, even some other clubs. I started to work inside organization, I was mostly interested in choreography, banners, flags, but I wasn’t running away from fights”.
He was surprised when he became the president of fan club BBB, there were more fanatics than him at the time, but he was the only one with a clear police record, that’s why he was chosen.
“I started to organize chants, trips, having meetings with the club and the police. Phone was always ringing, with all that experience I could probably lead a corporation by now. I left my heart and soul in the group”.
“Towards the end I started to get addicted to drugs, alcohol, I had enough money to go out, travel, for girls, on the street you just learn how to make money, I never took a penny from the club. I considered other people’s lives very boring”.
After the fight with Torcida he got 2 years ban from the stadium, he had to be in the police station during every game, they came inside his apartment a few times. He was also arrested during some other incidents although he was not involved according to him, and police beat him up with no reason. At that time separation and fights inside the group started, boycott started (Against the famous ex-president Mamic), and he never returned to the stadium again.
“I was active also while I was banned, until my last game of national team Croatia – Georgia. I went there and got drunk with the locals (Torcida members), and at the same time BBB had a fight with Torcida, a part of the group took that against me, I was never back on stand again I just wanted to leave that life behind”.
“I also ended my relationship, I sunk into depression, had some debts, I lost everything I loved. I decided to go and work in some other city, on the coastline – Pula for fresh start. I still had contacts with some part of the group, but the other part of the group forgot I even ever existed.”
After going to Pula, he took a holy book with himself and that was his turning point, from a leader of one of the most famous ultra groups, fighting and drugs to a more religious person.
After returning to Zagreb, he wanted to fix the image he had left behind, that of a sinner according to him. Now he attended holy mass every day and started confessing.
“In the stands I would often say that a true fan, an ultra, can never have a girlfriend, because his only love is Dinamo. I thought I would never get married, but things change.”
“Now when I look back at everything that I have been through in my life, I must admit that I have never been so happy and fulfilled, first of all because I have Jesus Christ, my fiancée Andrea, the Church and the community I serve, and because I have found myself.”
