Former Yugoslav footballer under fire for racist remarks on television

During a live broadcast on the Serbian public television channel RTS, 56-year-old former striker Rade Bogdanovic made controversial comments about Black footballers. While analyzing the World Cup match between Belgium and Iran, Bogdanovic stated that Black players lose concentration after 60 to 80 minutes, following a red card incident involving Belgian defender Nathan Ngoy. Despite being challenged by the show's host, the former Atletico Madrid player insisted on his viewpoint. These remarks triggered widespread condemnation on social media. Despite the backlash, RTS allowed him to return as an analyst for the subsequent match between Argentina and Austria. Following public pressure, Bogdanovic issued an official apology to Reuters, stating he regrets his comments. RTS also released an apology, clarifying that Bogdanovic is not a permanent employee of the station.