Aleksandar Kolarov - Transfer Controversy

Transfer Controversy

Kolarov's switch from FK Čukarički to OFK Beograd in February 2006, during the 2005–06 season winter break, was highly controversial. Under contract with Čukarički at the time, Kolarov filed a request to be released dated 31 January 2006 on the grounds of "contract expiry" even though it was good until January 2007. Soon after handing in his request to Čukarički, Kolarov publicly stated his desire to join OFK Beograd. Seeing that they had a disgruntled player on their hands, Čukarički set a €300,000 transfer fee for Kolarov due to the fact he still had one more year left on his contract with the club. OFK for their part simply ignored this fact and simply signed Kolarov without paying a fee. Over the coming years Čukarički took the case in front of Serbian Football Association (FSS), where all of their official complaints got rejected.

Year and a half later, during summer 2007, when Kolarov was sold by OFK Beograd to S.S. Lazio for €800,000, Čukarički president Aleksandar Mihajlović went public with an accusation that Kolarov "was stolen from Čukarički by OFK Beograd". For that, he was punished by Serbian FA on the verbal offence grounds and given a year-long ban on performing any functions in Serbian football.

The entire Kolarov case was featured in early 2008 on B92 television's investigative journalism programme Insajder that focused on criminal activities in Serbian football. The programme claims that Kolarov's case was part of a wide initiative by Serbian FA president Zvezdan Terzić (formerly the president of OFK) who made sure young promising players signed for OFK and then raise their transfer price by making sure they get playing time in the U-21 national team.