Macedonia, as a country with a distinctly multiethnic composition, constantly faces challenges arising from tensions between its main communities. For decades, interethnic relations between Albanians and Macedonians, in addition to being aggravated by the conflicts in the country, have also been aggravated by prejudices and certain harmful narratives, which in some cases are also instigators of these conflicts. The results of the monitoring of the Metamorphosis Foundation show that these narratives risk presenting North Macedonia as a fragile, divided society, incapable of building a sustainable welfare state, writes Portalb.mk.
Fertile ground for the reinforcement of harmful narratives are matches at sports stadiums where racist and nationalist chants spread spontaneously, but also in an organized manner. From the cacophony of hatred that then spreads to the digital sphere, one cannot see the spirit of cooperation between players, especially in sports clubs with mixed composition, who, although they come from different ethnicities and religions, are one in the sports arena and play united.
One of the most positive examples is the Macedonian national football team. Its composition, from an ethnic point of view, is mixed. Albanians, Macedonians and other communities, together share the disappointments of defeats and the joys of victories, writes Portalb.mk.
Harmful or malignant narratives usually aim for divisions, highlighting differences as a risk. They manipulate history to justify hostility and victimization, and use emotional language that incites fear, insecurity and hatred.
Sports fields are often spaces where cries of hate and ethnic grounds occur, and the corresponding fan groups become particularly active when posting about such events.
One example is the act of vandalism in Drachevo, Skopje, where an icon of Jesus Christ was destroyed in a local park, and a Quran was left next to it. The incident was sensationalized in the media, further fueling interfaith and interethnic tensions. The fan group “Komiti” responded with a statement: “We will not forgive you.” Interestingly, the media amplified the statement of the fan group “Komiti”, placing it prominently in their media coverage. However, many comments from citizens, according to these reports, had a different tone, emphasizing that no true believer would commit such an act and, unlike typical examples, these comments did not contain hatred.
This case reflects a broader pattern in the country, where Islam is almost always viewed through the prism of ethnicity. Such an interpretation is often reinforced by the media and sports fan groups, turning religious incidents into tools to incite interethnic tensions and serve political goals.
Non-governmental organizations are constantly raising the alarm about the risk of normalizing hate speech.
“Sports stands continue to be spaces where offensive and discriminatory messages are spread, especially on ethnic and national grounds. Such speech, especially when expressed publicly, has the potential to cause deep divisions, disrupt interethnic cohesion, and can even lead to hate crimes,” the Helsinki Committee says. According to them, ethnicity continues to dominate over the years as the most common basis for hate speech and hate crimes, while the most numerous perpetrators and victims are young people. “For this very reason, we believe that public condemnation is the minimum that political structures can do, while the competent institutions should identify and punish the perpetrators,” the Helsinki Committee further says.
Not everything is so dark
However, there are many other positive examples in which the narratives expressed through fan groups are refuted, and then they gain resonance and try to present a different picture of society, the different ethnicities living in North Macedonia, but also the country in general.
One of the most positive examples is the national football team. Its composition, from an ethnic point of view, is mixed. Albanians, Macedonians and other communities, together share the disappointments of defeats and the joys of victories. For now, the team is aiming for the next historic success, after participating in the European Football Championship EURO 2028.
Sports journalist, Reshat Ibrahimi, is among the most active journalists present at the national team’s matches, both at home and abroad. He commented on the atmosphere in the team and the staff in the federation for Portalb.mk.
“The atmosphere in the Macedonian national team is very good. And such an environment has certainly been influenced by the positive results of the national team in the last decade, where Macedonia participated in the European Championship and is now on the verge of another historic success to participate in the finals of the World Cup in 2026 in the USA, Mexico and Canada. Another factor for such a climate in the Macedonian national team is coach Blagoja Milevski, who has managed to create a team with quality football players whom he knows well and whom he trains.
The players, Ibrahimi adds, respect each other and have a healthy friendship. “They are all professionals, because they come from different European championships. Enis Bardi, who is Albanian, is the captain and he enjoys great respect from all his teammates. Bardi is the leader of Macedonia’s successes, but not only him but also others who have merit for the successes so far. He is a person and they don’t see him whether he is Albanian or not. The current president of the federation, Masar Omeragic, is also credited with the good atmosphere, who has been suppressing these inappropriate phenomena since he took over the head of the federation. He even announced that in the future, rival fans will also follow the matches in the stands. North Macedonia is a country for everyone who lives in this country and we should all look forward to Europe and European values,” Ibrahimi concludes.
The national team will face Denmark in the semi-finals of the World Cup qualifiers on March 26 at 8:45 p.m. The match with the Danes will be played at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen. The winner of this match will face the better team from the other match, Northern Ireland – Czech Republic, for a place at the 2026 World Cup.
But what are the institutions doing to protect the harmony that reflects the national team?
The Football Federation of Macedonia, in their responses to Portalb.mk, emphasized that the federation is working long-term to create a healthy sports atmosphere and condemns nationalistic slogans, hate speech and any form of discrimination.
“Recently, together with UNICEF, we have been working on educational campaigns, cooperation with clubs and schools, as well as sending preventive messages before each of our activities. In parallel, we are working on improving regulations and sanctions, which allow for a faster and more effective reaction when the sporting spirit of matches is violated. Our goal is for the stands to be a place of support, not a ‘platform’ for spreading fear or division,” the federation says.
To improve the atmosphere, the federation promises to continue the work of educating the new categories about respect, diversity and fair play; to increase control in the organization of matches with clear protocols for preventing incidents and coordination with club safety commissioners; and to develop continuous campaigns with football players, especially those from the A national team, who best convey the message of unity. They point out that success does not know ethnicity, but work and dedication.
“Our message is clear: such behavior is not part of sport and is not part of the values we want to promote. On the contrary, we will punish every case. Any cheering that humiliates, insults or incites hatred harms the sport and punishes precisely those who come for football – the players and true fans. We constantly appeal to fan groups to support their team with passion, but also with respect. Football should unite, not divide,” the federation said.
The head of the football federation, Masar Omeragic, confirmed that the strongest response to deviant behavior is professionalism, calmness and focus on the game.
“We need to be an example for the new generations. My personal message is that respect for the opponent, for the fans and for one’s own team is the foundation of football and sport in general. Every institution, federation and club has its role. Institutions provide the framework and mechanisms for punishing hate speech and any form of discrimination. The federation should conduct educational and preventive campaigns and have clear norms for action in case of violation of rights. Clubs have an obligation to work with fans, prevent risky situations and encourage positive cheering. Athletes are the ones who send the strongest message, their behavior should be respectful and fair play. When we all act together, football returns to its true value – both on the field and in the stands,” says FFM President Omeragić.
Sport should unite, not create divisions
The Ministry of Sports says that sport should unite, connect people, and not create divisions. Therefore, they are aware that nationalistic and provocative chants that create tension appear on some sports fields.
“The Ministry of Sports is in constant communication with federations, clubs and security institutions to prevent these phenomena. We should all work together to eradicate these negative phenomena, through education, through the establishment of stricter disciplinary mechanisms and through campaigns that promote ‘fair play’. Our goal as the Ministry of Sports is to promote the true values of respect, dignity and coexistence through sport, and we will always be firmly against any attempt to use sport for nationalistic or political purposes,” says the Minister of Sports, Borko Ristovski.
The head of the Ministry of Sports promises that specific and coordinated activities are planned. Minister Ristovski announced in a statement to Portalb.mk that he will propose changes to the federations’ regulations for rapid response and sanctioning, strengthen prevention through programs for young fans, and, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, establish mechanisms for identifying and acting against organized groups that spread hatred and cause incidents on sports fields.
“With every action we take, we strive to make sport accessible to everyone, in every city and municipality in the country, for young people to engage in sports, and through sports to promote positive values and build a positive sports spirit. This is a duty, but also a shared responsibility for all of us,” says Ristovski.
Our message, the minister added, is clear: hate speech, nationalism, racism and any form of inappropriate behavior in the stands are not sports and will not be tolerated. Any person who knowingly disrupts the sports atmosphere will face punitive measures, he added.
“As an athlete, I have played in halls all over Europe and have often heard all kinds of provocations. But I have never allowed them to distract me from my goal. The strongest response is the game on the field. I also believe that institutions should react quickly, while federations and clubs should take on their role. Athletes, in turn, should be an example – with fair play, respect and maturity. I believe that athletes are the best ambassadors of positive values. Respect is the greatest trophy we can win. My personal message is simple: Cheer as you would like to cheer for your child,” concluded Minister Ristovski.
The editorial team of Portalb.mk argued in a series of articles that the inadequate reaction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor’s Office and the few cases with a court verdict further fuel hate speech. A timely reaction would protect the values that best represent our country, which are the sports atmosphere and sports successes.
Written by: Xhenis Sulejmani
