Ante Baković, the long-time president of the Croatian Volleyball Federation, dies at the age of 55. Ante Baković became the president of the most trophy-winning Croatian volleyball club HAOK Mladost back in 1993, and for a second time in 2002. He was the president of the Croatian Volleyball Federation from 2004 to 2006 and from 2017 to the present. He will be remembered as one of the few successful presidents of the national sport federation who was not previously an athlete and as a person who took the lead in the revitalization of Croatian volleyball. His work, dedication to volleyball and influence were recognized by the leaders of world volleyball institutions such as FIVB and CEV. This was also shown at the ceremonial opening of the new official premises of the association, where among the guests were the president of the FIVB, Dr Ary Graça, and the president of the CEV, Mr. Aleksandar Boričić, accompanied by the president of the Croatian Olympic Committee, Mr. Zlatko Mateša.
The news about the death of Mr. Ante Baković was published on the official website of the Croatian Volleyball Federation:
“IN MEMORIAM ANTE BAKOVIĆ 14. 5. 1967. – 6. 1. 2023.
Ante Baković, president of the Croatian Volleyball Federation, died in Zagreb yesterday, after a battle with a serious illness. After countless victories, he was overtaken by a fatal defeat… For this Herzegovina native of Tomislavgrad, there was no lost battle – until now. The disease was simply stronger…
The volleyball world will remember him as the revivalist of Croatian volleyball, because in April 2017, after he sat at the head of the then problematic Federation which had heavy financial debts, the renaissance of our volleyball began.
He started his great sports career in 1993 as the president of HAOK Mladost, but he stayed in volleyball until the last moment. Volleyball was, along with his family, which he loved immensely, his life.
In 2002, he became a member of the Assembly of Zagreb Sports Association and for the second time the president of HAOK Mladost. In that period, the club achieved numerous great successes on the domestic and international scene and developed some of our greatest volleyball players. As a president and the head of Croatian Volleyball Federation he came with a very difficult task – the host of the European Championship for women’s volleyball in 2005, at a time when Federation was overloaded with the debts of its predecessors.
However, the excellent organization was not enough to save the Federation from inevitable bankruptcy, so in 2006 his term as president ends, but he remains a member of the Board of Directors of CVF through all phases – from liquidation to the establishment of a new Federation.
Brand new Federation started with him at the head in 2017. In 2017, when he was re-elected as president of CVF the federation was on the verge of bankruptcy, in big debts, the national team was in bad shape and the domestic league was devastated. With a firm hand and clear attitudes, unbiased or uncompromising decisions and serious financial restructuring, during his first mandate he brought a turnaround in Croatian volleyball and raised the Croatian Volleyball Federation to the very top of Croatian sport.
After complete financial stabilization and settlement of all debts, he succeeds in introducing a policy of invitation-only financial operations and for the first time in the history of Croatian volleyball provides serious financial assistance to clubs and all stakeholders of the volleyball sport. It introduces numerous innovations into domestic competitions, becomes an indispensable partner and support of international volleyball federations, and brings numerous international competitions to Croatia. He introduces a new way of working with national teams of younger age groups, and at the head of the senior national team he brings top international experts under whose leadership the national teams achieve significant success and advance on the international scale.
By the decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, he was appointed a member of the National Council for Sports, in October 2020 at the Election Assembly of the Croatian Olympic Committee he was elected as a member of the Council of the Croatian Olympic Committee. He received an award for successful work from the World Volleyball Federation (FIVB), and in the summer of 2020, he was again elected as President of the Croatian Volleyball Association.
In the new mandate, the Federation found a new home after the old premises were destroyed in the earthquake, and the women’s volleyball team qualified for the League of Nations, which was the great wish of Ante Baković. And he was with the national team in Zadar and celebrated that huge triumph with them. Unfortunately, the last time…
Dear Ante, rest in peace.“
WorldofVolley expresses its deepest condolences to the family and the entire Croatian volleyball community.
