The traditional New Year’s cocktail party organised by the Volleyball Federation of Serbia (OSS) was held on Thursday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belgrade, where the best individuals were awarded for their significant achievements throughout the year 2022. In the presence of many high-profile guests, volleyball players and representatives of media houses, partners of the federation and other esteemed persons from all areas of sports, social and public activities were greeted by Gyula Mester, President of the Volleyball Federation of Serbia.

Among many, the cocktail party was attended by Zoran Gajić, Minister of Sports in the Serbian Government, Božidar Maljković, President of the Serbian Olympic Committee, Aleksandar Boričić, CEV President, Davor Štefanek, President of the Serbian Sports Association, Predrag Danilović, President of the Basketball Federation of Serbia, and Bojan Kekić, President of the Board of Directors of Banka Poštanska Štedionica, general sponsor of the OSS.

Tijana Bošković, two-time Most Valuable Player of the FIVB World Championship in 2018 and 2022, as well as the team captain and the opposite hitter of the senior women of Serbia, was awarded as the best female volleyball player of Serbia in 2022, while Srećko Lisinac, middle blocker and member of Team Serbia as well, took the prize for the best male volleyball player of the year.

Aleksandra Uzelac, who plays for Železničar LAJKOVAC, and Branko Kopitić, who represents NOVI SAD Maneks, were named the best young players in 2022.

The most successful teams in Beach Volleyball are sisters Nataša and Nadja Čikuc Deniz and Djordje Klašnić/Lazar Kolarić for women and men, respectively.

The Volleyball Federation of Serbia also awarded long-term sponsors and partners: NIS, Voda Vrnjci, Mozzart bet, Škoda, Zi Jin, RTS, Blic and Sportski Žurnal.

Slobodan Milošević, long-time Secretary General of the Volleyball Federation of Serbia, Bojan Kekić, President of the Board of Directors of Banka Poštanska Štedionica, and Zoran Gajić, Minister of Sports and until recently President of the OSS, received special recognitions from the Federation as well.

Awards and recognitions were presented by Gyula Mester, President of the OSS, Ivan Knežević, Secretary General, Jelena Nikolić, First Vice-President, Mladen Maran, President of the Volleyball Association of Belgrade, Danilo Mrđa, Secretary General of the Volleyball Association of Belgrade, and Maja Ognjenović, national team player.

Tijana Bošković and the women’s national team of Serbia have claimed prestigious awards presented by the National Olympic Committee of Serbia in recognition of their achievements throughout the year 2022.

Team Serbia, two-time World champions (2018 and 2022) and bronze medal winners from the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League, has received the accolade for the ‘Women’s Team of the Year’ for the 12th time in their history at a special ceremony organised at the National Assembly Building in Belgrade. Tijana Bošković, captain and opposite hitter of the team, was named the most successful female athlete across all team sports in 2022.

Jelena Nikolić, First Vice-President of the Volleyball Federation of Serbia (OSS), received the award for the most successful women’s team in Serbia from the hands of Žarko Zečević, Vice-President of the Serbian Olympic Committee. The Volleyball Federation of Serbia was represented at the ceremony by their President Gyula Mester, Secretary General Ivan Knežević, and Jelena Nikolić.

“I am very satisfied with this recognition because the girls who won the World Championship certainly deserved it. It was a historic success for us, winning back-to-back world titles, and now we will channel all our efforts to get the only medal that is missing from our collection, that is gold at the Olympic Games”, said Gyula Mester, president of the Volleyball Federation of Serbia.

(l-r): Jelena Nikolić, Ivan Knežević, CEV President Aleksandar Boričić, and OSS President Gyula Mester

The ceremony at the National Assembly Building was also attended by Ivica Dačić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Serbian Government, Zoran Gajić, Minister of Sports, Marko Kešelj, State Secretary for Sports, Božidar Maljković, President of the Serbian Olympic Committee, and Aleksandar Boričić, President of the CEV.

Tijana Bošković was unable to attend the ceremony, but she addressed the guests via video link. This is Tijana’s first award for the most successful female athlete across all team sports, and she previously received the recognition for the ‘Female Athlete of the Year’ in both 2018 and 2019. Tijana Bošković also received the award for the most successful young female athlete presented by the Serbian Olympic Committee in 2017.

“We are already used to getting this kind of recognitions and our ladies keep finding the way to bring joy to our people. Once again, we are on top of the charts, and believe me in Serbia there is some tough competition in sports, because we are a country producing excellent athletes and teams. This is a great motivation for us, but we are already looking into the future”, said Jelena Nikolic, first Vice-President of the Volleyball Federation of Serbia.

The Volleyball Federation of Serbia (OSS) has announced that Giovanni Guidetti will be leading the two-time reigning world champions at least until the end of 2024.

Guidetti, who has been at the helm of Turkish club VakifBank ISTANBUL for many years achieving unprecedented success in the process, was officially appointed on Wednesday. The contract stipulates that the Italian expert will be coaching the senior women’s national team of Serbia until the end of 2024 – after the Paris Olympics.

The Volleyball Federation of Serbia and Daniele Santarelli previously agreed to terminate their cooperation. Santarelli won gold at the 2022 World Championship and bronze from the 2022 edition of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League.

In a separate development, the Turkish Volleyball Federation has announced that Santarelli will be leading the national team of Türkiye – so Guidetti and Santarelli are essentially switching benches.