Politics
Dinamo Zagreb boss Zoran Mamic sentenced to four years in jail and resigns just days before Tottenham clash
DINAMO ZAGREB boss Zoran Mamic has resigned after being sentenced to four years and eight months in prison.
The Croatian, 49, was charged with fraud.
Mamic, right, was in the dugout as Dinamo lost 2-0 to Spurs last week[/caption]
And he was found guilty by Croatia’s Supreme Court on Monday.
Mamic was in the dugout as Dinamo lost 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur last Thursday.
But he’ll be absent on Thursday, with former player Damir Krznar taking the reigns.
After immediately stepping down following the verdict, Mamic said in a statement: “Although I don’t feel guilty, I resign as I said before I would do if the sentence was confirmed. I wish all the good luck to the club.”
Zoran’s elder brother Zdravko Mamic, 61, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison.
Milan Pernar and Damir Vrbanic were also found guilty.
A statement published by Croatian state television HRT read: “The Supreme Court has confirmed the Osijek Municipal Court’s verdict sentencing Zdravko Mamic to six and a half years of imprisonment for the embezzlement of 116 million kuna (£13.13m) from Dinamo football club.
“Zoran Mamic’s sentence has been reduced to four years and eight months from four years and 11 months, while Milan Pernar had his sentence reduced to three years and two months from four years and two months.”
Zdravko Mamic was also charged[/caption]
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Vrbanic has also received a three-year sentence.
They were charged with tax evasion of £1.37million, as well as siphoning off £13.12m from transfer fees of players leaving Dinamo.
Zoran Mamic played for Dinamo between 1989 and 1996, as well as 2005 and 2007 – alongside the likes of Dejan Lovren and Luka Modric.
Zdravko Mamic, meanwhile, was the club’s executive director between 2003 and 2016.
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