News Feature

Oatley 'becomes honorary Croatian citizen'

27 June 2008

A British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) sports commentator has been named an honorary Croatian by a website.

Jacqui Oatley has been awarded by becomeacroatiafan.com for becoming the latest "high profile figure to cement the blossoming relationship between Croatian football and the rest of the world".

The website claims the BBC journalist fell in love with the attitude, modesty and passion of the Croatian team and its coach, Slaven Bilic.

In her blog on the BBC website, Ms Oatley said the Croatian team – players, management and press officers – had been a joy to work with,

This attitude, summed up by Bilic being courteous in defeat, led to her dropping "ambivalence" and becoming a Croatia fan, she said.

It has recently been revealed that the Croatian coach may have been luckier in love than his players were in losing out to Turkey on penalty kicks at the European Championships.

Bilic is believed to be dating Nelka Tomic, a gynaecologist who works at the same hospital as his mother, according to balkaninsight.com.

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