This article is part of the special feature “20 Years of Montenegrin Sport”. The full publication is available at the link.
THANK YOU TO EVERY ATHLETE WHO HAS CARRIED THE NAME OF MONTENEGRO OVER THE PAST TWENTY YEARS
When Montenegrin athletes compete under their national flag, when the anthem is played and the name of Montenegro appears alongside the nations of the world, it is never just a sporting moment. It is a moment that reflects years of hard work, sacrifice, family support, coaching expertise and, above all, a deep sense of belonging to the country they represent. That is why I have always believed that sport is about much more than results. It reflects the character of a society, its culture, its attitude towards hard work, victory, defeat and respect for others.
This year, Montenegro marks twenty years since the restoration of its independence. For sport, these two decades carry particular significance. Sport was among the first fields to make Montenegro’s renewed independence visible—not through words, but through performance. At a time when the country was re-establishing itself on the international stage and its institutions were building recognition step by step, our athletes were already there in the national jersey. They were already carrying the flag. They were already representing Montenegro in places where its name may not yet have been widely known, but where it quickly became recognised.
Montenegrin sport has written an important chapter in the history of these past two decades. Few sectors, with such limited resources, have done as much to make Montenegro visible around the world. Not because our athletes always won, but because they represented their country with honour, courage and a profound sense of responsibility. Their performances reflected pride and humility, determination and respect, and that distinct Montenegrin quality: dignity without arrogance, strength without grand words.
Over these twenty years, we have witnessed Olympic appearances that filled us with pride, finals that brought the whole country together, and evenings when everyday conversations stopped because everyone was watching the same match. In those moments, Montenegro stood united—beyond differences, beyond divisions. That cannot be planned or manufactured. Only sport can create such moments, and that is its unique gift.
Today, I look at a new generation of athletes for whom this flag is not a choice, but a starting point. They have never known a different Montenegro. They do not carry the weight of 2006; instead, they carry something even more demanding and inspiring—the responsibility to build upon what previous generations achieved and raise it to an even higher level. In them, I see proof that what began twenty years ago has taken firm root.
Over these two decades, NOC Montenegro has done what it exists to do: build the system, create opportunities and connect our athletes with the world. We have achieved a great deal with limited resources—sometimes with less than many thought possible. Yet we have never allowed limited resources to become an excuse for limited ambition. Ahead of us lie new major competitions, new challenges and new generations of athletes. Montenegro will continue to take its place on the international stage as it always has: prepared, dignified and confident in who we are.
The twentieth anniversary of Montenegro’s restored independence is an opportunity to say something we do not express often enough: thank you to every athlete who has represented Montenegro over the past twenty years. Thank you to the coaches, parents, sports federations and everyone who has contributed to this journey. Sport has shown that a country is built not only through institutions, but also on the field of play, and that the deepest sense of belonging comes from striving for something—not merely speaking about it.
May sport continue, over the next twenty years, to be what it has always been: a measure of our dignity, our character and our shared home.
