Bosnia and Herzegovina will compete at the Mediterranean Games “Taranto 2026” from August 21 to September 3 in Italy, with a delegation of 111 members, including 76 athletes competing in 15 sports. The Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina expects this competition to offer an opportunity for Bosnian and Herzegovinian athletes to achieve top results.
During today’s press conference in Sarajevo, the President of the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Davor Komšić, stated that the governing body of Bosnian sports sees the athletes’ performance at this significant competition as an important step on the path to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in two years.
“I hope that the Mediterranean Games will serve as a springboard to increase the number of our Olympians at the Olympic Games and that we will win our first Olympic medal,” Komšić said.
He expressed his belief that coaches will manage to properly time the athletes’ peak form and capitalize on moments of inspiration to achieve top results and potentially win a medal.
The Chief of Mission of the BiH delegation at the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Said Fazlagić, noted that around 4,000 athletes from 26 countries across three continents – Europe, Asia, and Africa – will participate in the competition.
He stated that Bosnia and Herzegovina will compete in 15 sports – three team and 12 individual – including taekwondo, karate, boxing, cycling, weightlifting, men’s 3×3 basketball, triathlon, athletics, bocce, men’s water polo, rhythmic gymnastics, shooting, swimming, women’s volleyball, and judo.
“Our team will consist of 76 athletes, 25 coaches and medical staff members, and six judges who will officiate at the competitions, with operational support from four employees of the Olympic Committee, making a total of 111 people,” he explained.
He added that, based on past results and athlete availability for the opening ceremony, Nedžad Husić and Džejla Makaš were named as flag bearers for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Meanwhile, during the closing ceremony, the flag will be carried by the member of the BiH team who achieves the best result at the Games and is present for the final event.
Nedžad Husić, one of five taekwondo competitors representing Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Mediterranean Games, also addressed the media. He noted that with little time remaining before the start of the competition, he hopes all athletes will successfully wrap up their final preparations without major injuries.
Furthermore, he expressed confidence that Bosnian and Herzegovinian athletes will showcase themselves in the best possible light, representing themselves and their country with dignity.
Olympian Amel Tuka, speaking on behalf of the athletics team, wished good luck to all Bosnian and Herzegovinian athletes, emphasizing that they should use this competition as an important step towards the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
“With all my heart, I wish for you to go one step further and take a stride closer to Los Angeles right here at the Mediterranean Games,” Tuka said.
Speaking about expectations for the athletics team, he recalled the past successes of Bosnian and Herzegovinian athletes, citing Elvir Krehmić’s 2011 bronze medal, Hamza Alić as the most decorated BiH athlete at the Mediterranean Games, as well as the medals won by Mesud Pezer and Abedin Mujezinović.
Tuka noted that due to these past results, athletes feel a certain responsibility and pressure to continue winning medals, but he emphasized that the goal is for athletes to represent themselves, their coaches, the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the country with dignity.
On behalf of the coaching staff, Almedin Fetahović addressed the attendees. As an athlete, Fetahović won the first gold medal for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 1993 Mediterranean Games in Montpellier, and he wished all members of the BiH delegation great success at the upcoming competition.
Fetahović urged the athletes to believe in themselves and their abilities, reminding them that Bosnian and Herzegovinian athletes have succeeded in achieving top results even under the toughest circumstances.
The Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games are much more than just a sporting event. They are a meeting point of cultures, traditions, and generations who share the same horizon. Europe, Africa, and Asia look out at the same sea and, through sport, speak a common language built on passion, respect, and friendship. These Games celebrate both competition and cooperation, uniting different nations around a shared Mediterranean identity.
