The dark past of the World Cup final referee

2026-07-17 20:05:47Sport SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

The appointment of Slovenian Slavko Vincic to referee the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium has sparked a global debate.

While on the green field he is known for his technical refereeing, in the public sphere, his name remains associated with a sensational incident that occurred six years ago.

Event of 2020: "Working Lunch" or something else?

In May 2020, in the city of Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, police carried out a large-scale operation against a criminal network involved in prostitution, drug trafficking, and illegal weapons possession. During a raid on a ranch, authorities arrested nine women and 26 men.

What was found: Police seized four packages of cocaine, 10 pistols, three bulletproof vests and over 10,000 euros in cash.

Vincic's involvement: The judge was among those arrested. However, he was quickly released after being questioned as a witness. Vincic insisted that he had gone for a "working lunch" and was unaware of the illegal activities taking place there.

Defense: He claimed he had accepted an invitation to lunch without knowing what the setting was, calling it “the biggest mistake of his life.” The Slovenian Football Federation came to his defense, calling the incident a “chain of unfortunate circumstances” where Vincic was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.


Video