One of the most influential figures in European and world volleyball Aleksandar Boričić passed away on March 4 in Belgrade after a stroke. The news caused a strong reaction in the volleyball community because Boričić was a person who for decades influenced the development of the sport both in the Balkans and throughout Europe.
Besides his role as a leader, he will also be remembered as a loyal friend of Bulgarian volleyball, who over the years actively worked for closer ties and good cooperation between the Bulgarian and Serbian federations.
Until the very end, he attended major championships, including watching Bulgaria's phenomenal performance at the World Championship in Manila last autumn.
Playing career
Aleksandar Boričić was born on May 26 in Belgrade. His volleyball career began at Crvena Zvezda, where he played from 1962.
With the Belgrade club, he won:
the championship title of Yugoslavia
three national cups
Boričić was also a long-standing national team player for Yugoslavia. He recorded 103 matches for the representative team.
His greatest success as a player came at the European Championship in 1975 in Belgrade, when Yugoslavia won the bronze medals the first accolade for the country's men's national team at a continental forum.
Successes as a coach
After the end of his playing career, Boričić turned to coaching. He worked with the women's team of Crvena Zvezda, with whom he achieved significant successes.
Under his leadership, the team won:
four championship titles of Yugoslavia
three national cups
On the international stage, the Belgrade club reached third place in a European club tournament in 1982.
Architect of Serbian volleyball's successes
In 1992, Aleksandar Boričić became president of the Volleyball Federation of Serbia, a position he held for decades.
During this period, Serbian volleyball experienced its most successful era, in which the national team won:
an Olympic title
European championship titles
numerous medals from major international tournaments.
Boricic also plays an important role on the international stage as:
President of the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV)
Vice-President of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
A Great Friend of Bulgarian Volleyball
Over the years, Aleksandar Boricic maintained exceptionally close relations with Bulgarian volleyball. He repeatedly worked to expand cooperation between the two Balkan federations and for joint initiatives at regional and European levels.
Boricic always emphasized that the Balkans have a strong volleyball tradition and that joint work between federations can help develop the sport in the region.
International Accolades
Over the years, Boricic received a number of prestigious awards.
Among them are:
2012 – Honorary Professor of Sport at the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Belgrade
2022 – The "Grand Cross" of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) – one of the highest awards in world volleyball.
An Emotional Farewell from Vladimir Grbic
Serbian volleyball legend Vladimir Grbic bid farewell to Boricic with touching words.
"I will not list his successes, titles, and merits. They are countless. This was the man from whom I learned the most about sports diplomacy and sports management. The most deserving for the successes of the golden generation and for the status of our volleyball. Above all – A MAN," Grbic wrote.
He emphasized that the void left by Boricic cannot be filled, no matter how much effort is put in.
With the passing of Aleksandar Boricic, European and world volleyball lose an exceptional leader, diplomat, and a person who left a lasting mark on the development of the game and on cooperation between volleyball nations in the Balkans.
Homage to his memory!
photos: Nikolay Varadinov
