Coach Mladen Zizovic of Radnicki 1923, passed away in the match of the Serbian national championship on the evening of November 2 (local time). The incident occurred when his team met Mladost at Lucani Stadium.
In the 22nd minute, Mr. Zizovic suddenly fell near the sideline. Medical team quickly arrived to provide first aid, then took him to a hospital near the yard. The match was suspended for a few minutes while the coach was taken to the emergency room.
About 20 minutes later, the hospital informed Mr. Mladen Zizovic that he would not survive. The initial cause was believed to be a stroke. When receiving the news, the players and coaching staff of both teams burst into tears, and the organizing committee decided to stop the match indefinitely.
The Football Federation of Serbia (FSS) issued a statement confirming the incident, expressing its condolences to the family, friends and Radnicki Club 1923. The FSS said this was "a big loss for Serbian football" and assessed Mr. Zizovic as a dedicated person who contributed a lot to the development of regional football.
Coach Mladen Zizovic, 44 years old, is a former Bosnia & Herzegovina player who played for many clubs in the Balkan region. He began his coaching career after retiring and led a number of teams in Bosnia before going to Serbia.
On October 23, Mr. Zizovic was appointed head coach Radnicki 1923, and the match against Mladost was his third time leading the team in his new position.
After the news was confirmed, many major Serbian clubs such as Partizan Belgrade and Red Star Belgrade expressed their condolences and expressed their gratitude to Mr. Zizovic, who is professional and always devoted to football.
