Left-handed goal scorer Boris Vapenski may have the opportunity to represent the Serbian national team once again.
Vapenski, who has played for Georgia for several years, has now been called up to join the Serbian national team’s preparations for the World Championships in Singapore. However, the World Aquatics organization has yet to respond to the Water Polo Federation of Serbia’s request concerning his citizenship change.
Vapenski last played for Georgia in 2022. According to the recently updated World Aquatics regulations, an athlete wishing to change his sports nationality must observe a one-year waiting period between his last representation for the former country and his first representation for the new national team (the period has been reduced back from three to one year) . Therefore, it is quite possible that Vapenski will be eligible to compete for Serbia this season.
The 35-year-old player won a European bronze medal in 2010, as well as gold medals at the 2010 World Cup and the 2011 World League with Serbia. Between 2020 and 2022, he represented Georgia. He recently returned to Serbian club water polo by joining Radnicki.
During his career, Vapenski has played for clubs in Serbia, Hungary, Italy, and Georgia, and he won the Champions League in 2013 as a member of Crvena Zvezda.
Additionally, Montenegrin centre-forward Nikola Murisic, another player from Radnicki, is also on the 26-player list for Serbia’s preparations. Similar to Vapenski, the Water Polo Federation of Serbia is awaiting a response from World Aquatics regarding Murisic’s eligibility to play for Serbia.
Head coach Uros Stevanovic called up the following players –
Goalkeepers: Lazar Dobozanov (Oradea), Radoslav Filipovic (Radnicki), Vladimir Misovic (Crvena zvezda), Milan Glusac (Novi Beograd), Radosav Virijevic (Valis), Field players: Nikola Murisic (Radnicki) Nemanja Vico (Primorac), Djordje Lazic (Jadran HN), Bogdan Gavrilovic (Radnicki), Strahinja Krstic (Novi Beograd), Sava Randjelovic (Vasas, to move to Radnicki), Nikola Jaksic (Radnicki), Radomir Drasovic (Radnicki), Petar Jaksic (Radnicki), Luka Pljevancic (Sabac), Miloš Cuk (Novi Beograd), Strahinja Rasovic (Radnicki), Vasilije Martinovic (Novi Beograd), Boris Vapenski (Radnicki), Nikola Dedovic (Vasas, to move to Radnicki), Dusan Mandic (Ferencvaros), Viktor Rasovic (Radnicki), Nikola Lukic (Novi Beograd), Vuk Milojevic (Jadran HN), Marko Dimitrijevic (Novi Beograd), Luka Gladovic (Novi Beograd).
Compared to the team that won the Olympic gold medal, Vouliagmeni’s centre-forward, Nemanja Ubovic, is missing. The preparation will begin on Monday, while the players who participate in the F4 in Malta will join four days later.
