The 2024 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund promises to be one of the biggest events of the year. Fans of the competition are eagerly awaiting the start of the big match, but to stay informed about everything related to it, we’ll provide you with all the details about Slavko Vincic, who will be the main referee.
Firstly, it’s worth noting that Slavko was born 44 years ago in Maribor, Slovenia. He has been an international referee since 2010 and has since officiated in important competition matches, including the Champions League and the World Cup, serving as the referee in the memorable duel between Saudi Arabia and Argentina.
Furthermore, the Slovenian was also in charge of the 2022 UEFA Europa League final and has been selected by UEFA as one of the referees for the prestigious European Championship, EURO 2024, to be held in Germany.
A controversial story linked to drug trafficking
While controversies in the realm of sports do not apply to this referee (which is why UEFA selected him for this final), Slavko Vincic has been embroiled in a personal matter involving drug trafficking, a controversy that has plagued him for four years.
Slavko Vincic during a game – IMAGO / Newspix
In 2020, Vincic was arrested due to alleged connections to a network involved in prostitution, drug, and weapons trafficking. “I had nothing to do with that. I accepted an invitation to lunch, which turned out to be my biggest mistake. I regret it,“ he defended himself.
Vincic’s situation with justice
On that occasion, the Slovenian referee was arrested while resting in a cabin in Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the scene, authorities discovered nine women, 26 men, 14 packages of cocaine, 10 firearms, three bulletproof vests, and more than 10 thousand euros in cash.
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Despite this, the Slovenian Federation supported him and deemed the incident a misunderstanding: “He was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” they stated. The decision of the judiciary was to acquit him and not initiate any legal proceedings.
