The goalkeeper of the Croatian national handball team Ivan Pesic was stabbed during the night between Saturday and Sunday on the Hungarian city of Veszprem. During the attack where his team-mate and Romanian representative Marian Cozma was killed, the Serbian Zarko Sesum was beaten.

In the attack, Ivan Pesic was stabbed with a knife from behind, and was urgently operated on.

“Pesic’s kidney was removed. The operation was completed a hour ago, I cannot say anything more about his state” said the executive vice-president of the Croatian Handball Association Zoran Gobac. He added that they are in contact with the heads of Pesic’s club Veszprem.

The attack occurred when a group of around 30 hooligans, who allegedly are not from Veszprem, awaited the handball players at the entrance to the night club and attacked Cozma, Pesic and the Servian Zarko Sesum.

Cozma was stabbed in the heart twice, and Pesic jumped in to help him, and tried to take his tongue out of his throat, because Cozma was starting to choke. The Serbian Sesum also tried to help, but the attackers beat him and he received a skull fracture.

Marian Cozma’s parents in shock

The handball players were celebrating the birth of Ivanscik’s daughter in a night club. His parent’s best friend Rares Jurca contacted them and informed them of the bad news.

“Rares called me in the morning. I do not know what to think. The wife of his colleague gave birth and they were celebrating. There was a conflict and my son was a casualty. I cannot believe it, I spoke to them at 11:30pm and everything was alright. He had plans for the future” said Born Cozma, the father of the murdered Romanian handball player to the Romanian media.

Pesic, who is from Senj, transferred to Hungary’s best club Veszprem from Rijeka’s Zamet. He was on Croatian coach Lino Cervar’s wider list for the World Handball Championship.

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