Prominent Euroleague basketball referee Uros Nikolic has been arrested in Belgrade as part of a major police operation targeting an organised crime group, Serbian authorities announced on Wednesday.
The 40-year-old official was among 11 people detained during raids against the “Vračarci” criminal organisation. He is expected to appear before the Prosecutor’s Office for Organised Crime today.
Police stated that “a Euroleague referee with the initials U.N. was arrested in Belgrade” and that a search of his apartment uncovered €250,000 in cash, gold bars, and a luxury watch. “There are suspicions that he acted as a financial supporter of the group,” authorities said.
Nikolic is well-known to basketball fans through his long-standing presence in Euroleague competitions, the Adriatic Basketball Association (ABA League) and the Serbian national championship.
His career has been marked by several controversial incidents. In 2025, he ejected legendary basketball figure Ivo Daneou from an ABA League game, sparking strong reactions. In 2021, Red Star Belgrade formally requested disciplinary action against him after an incident involving damage to the referees’ room during a match against Cedevita Olimpija.
The case has shocked the Serbian basketball community, where Nikolic is considered one of the country’s most recognisable officials, having overseen top European matches in recent years.
(information from CNA)
