GM Alojzije Jankovic flatly denies the fraud allegations leveled at him by the Croatian Chess Federation. The federation filed a criminal complaint against its former secretary general, and Jankovic views the timing as a calculated attack.
He's running for federation president, and he's convinced this complaint exists to tank his campaign. "No coincidence," he said, calling it an attempt to wreck his reputation before the election. Whether that's paranoia or politics is the question.
The specifics of the allegations matter here, but what we know is this. Jankovic held real power in Croatian chess administration. Someone believes he mishandled money. The federation felt compelled to file a criminal complaint rather than handle it quietly. That's serious.
Jankovic's defense boils down to one thing. the timing stinks. Elections bring dirty tactics in chess federations just like everywhere else. If he's innocent, he's right to call out a coordinated takedown. If he's guilty, he's betting voters care more about the chess board than spreadsheets.
The criminal complaint now sits with authorities. That's out of Jankovic's hands and the federation's spin machine. What happens next depends on evidence, not rhetoric. For Croatian chess, this mess plays out at the worst possible moment.