Croatian Footballer Shocked by Treatment in Slovenia
Fran Tomek, midfielder for Slovenian club Koper, revealed on social media that he was subjected to ethnic slurs and serious threats by his own fans.
Fran Tomek, midfielder for Slovenian club Koper, revealed on social media that he was subjected to ethnic slurs and serious threats by his own fans.
Croatian footballer Fran Tomek, a 24-year-old midfielder who has been playing for Slovenian top-flight side Koper for two seasons, has spoken out about a serious incident that occurred during the last league match. Members of the fan group Tifozi hurled ethnic insults at him, called him a Ustasha, and threatened him, sparking a scandal in Slovenian football.
Tomek shared his message on Instagram on Monday, a day after Sunday's match. "Yesterday I experienced something that has nothing to do with football. Our 'fans' insulted me based on my nationality. They called me a Ustasha and insulted my family. I also received certain threats," Tomek wrote, as reported by Index.hr.
In his post, the former player for Dinamo, Gorica, and Dubrava emphasized that the club's poor results cannot justify hate speech. He stressed that during his two years at the club, he always gave his maximum, despite problems and injuries.
"Poor results should never be a reason for hate speech and threats. In the two years I've spent at Koper, I've always given my all, regardless of problems and various injuries," Tomek said, adding a clear boundary: "All criticism is always welcome, but there is no place for hatred and threats in football."
Sportske novosti also reported his post in which he detailed what he experienced: "I was insulted on ethnic grounds by our group of 'fans'. I was called a Ustasha, my family was insulted, and I received various threats."
The incident comes at a sensitive time for Koper. The club opened the season with a win and two draws in the domestic league, and the additional blow was elimination from the Conference League qualifiers. In the second qualifying round, they were beaten by NSI Runavik from the Faroe Islands.
Koper currently sits in fourth place in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, with their next match on Sunday away at Maribor. The club has not yet officially commented on the incident, which has seriously damaged the atmosphere in the squad.
Fran Tomek developed through the youth ranks of Dinamo and Inter Zaprešić, and made it to the second team of the Croatian champions, but never made an appearance for the first team. His only appearance in the SHNL came in a Gorica shirt, ironically against Dinamo while on loan.
He left Dinamo for Dubrava in 2023, and just a few months later, in January 2024, he signed for Koper. According to Transfermarkt, his estimated value is €500,000.
