Midway through the first half, the visiting fans, known as the Red Army, arrived in the stands. Immediately upon entering, they lifted the atmosphere by singing the anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina, "Jedna si jedina," and chanting "Država Bosna."
To the surprise of many, a reaction followed promptly. The official stadium announcer in Doboj addressed the crowd over the loudspeaker and made an appeal to Velež fans for fair and proper support.
Twice, he appealed to the Red Army, emphasizing that the match could even be interrupted.
It remains unclear why the announcer interpreted the chanting of the name of the country where the match was being held as a violation of fair play.
The fact that singing about one's homeland during a national cup match is perceived as an incident requiring a public warning represents yet another in a series of absurdities that have, unfortunately, become characteristic of sports venues in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Incidentally, the match delegate was Nebojša Žugić from Banja Luka, who, according to the regulations, has the right to suggest to the announcer to issue an appeal to fans and players on the field via the loudspeaker.