An official from the Croatian Olympic Committee was detained in connection with a corruption case
A large-scale anti-corruption investigation is underway in Croatia into the possible embezzlement of funds allocated for the development of skiing. As part of the case, law enforcement officials detained Damir Šegota, director of Olympic programs at the Croatian Olympic Committee, who subsequently resigned.
According to investigators, the probe, which began in March 2026, concerns the financial activities of the Croatian Ski Federation and the possible misuse of government and sponsorship funds.
The main figure in the case is Vedran Pavlek, the former director of the national alpine skiing teams. The prosecutor’s office suspects that between 2018 and 2026, he may have embezzled approximately 30 million euros intended for the federation’s development. According to investigators, part of the funds was used for personal purposes, including the construction of a private villa and financing a lavish lifestyle.
Investigators also believe that Damir Šegota may have received at least 170,000 euros in illicit benefits from Pavlek. In return, according to the prosecutor’s office, he helped secure more than 2 million euros in additional funding for the Ski Federation as part of preparations for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
In addition, law enforcement officials suspect that Šegota, together with his wife, invested the funds they received in gold through online platforms to conceal their origin.
As part of a special operation, investigators conducted searches at the offices of the Croatian Olympic Committee, specifically in the offices of Damir Šegota and the organization’s secretary general, Sinisa Krajac, who is a witness in the case.
Amid the investigation, Zlatko Mateša, the long-time president of the Croatian Olympic Committee, stepped down from his post in May. At the same time, the country’s government announced plans to reform the system for financing and monitoring the use of public funds in sports federations.
The investigation is ongoing, and law enforcement officials are identifying all possible participants in the corruption scheme.
Source: Glavkom.
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