July 26, 2005
Embassy of the United States of America
Belgrade
Embassy Soccer Team Plays for Fun and Charity
The Diplomatic Soccer League is a cooperative recreational soccer program
that gathers players from Embassies and diplomatic missions in Belgrade to
play competitive soccer, and to support the ideals of good sportsmanship,
friendship, courage and respect. The teams play two seasons per year, and
participate in charity tournaments.
The DIP Soccer League started in September 2004, and has twelve teams including
the Embassies of the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Greece,
Hungary, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom; the British Council;
the Red Cross; and UNDP. At least two new teams are expected to join this
year.
There are two seasons of play each the year -- the Fall Season starts in
September and runs through December, and the Spring Season starts in February
and ends in June. Each season is twelve games long and includes Soccer Fest,
a two-day tournament for all teams.
The 2005 Spring Soccer Fest took place on the last weekend of June. The
team from the U.S. Embassy lost the game in semifinals to the British Embassy,
yet finished the season respectably in fourth place. The overall winner was
the British Council team.
The U.S. Embassy team includes about fourteen Embassy staff members from
the United States and Serbia and Montenegro.
This year, in addition to playing in the DIP Soccer League, the U.S. team
also participated in two tournaments with the Belgrade Business League to
benefit the children's hospital and orphanage in Zvecanska.
U.S. Embassy Belgrade Team (in red) and U.S. Consulate Podgorica
Team (in blue)
U.S. Embassy Team
Top row: Novcic Zoran, Djindjic Goran, Jankovic Radivoje Bato, Mijailovic
Vlada, Markovic Miki, Panic Zeljko
Bottom row: Djordjic Joca, Dimovski Tome, Ivanovic Ivan, Divjak Dejan, Sutanovac
Dejan, Brkic Nenad
U.S. Embassy Team with Deputy Chief of Mission Rod Moore
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