Hrvoje Kacic
Encyclopedia
dr. Hrvoje Kačić (born 1932 in Dubrovnik
) is a former Croatian water polo player as well as an academic and politician.
At the age of 18, Kačić played for the Yugoslavia national water polo team at the 1950 European Water Polo Championship
at which the team won bronze. During the 1950s he became out of favour with Yugoslavia
's communist regime and had his passport confiscated on three occasions. He was jailed by the regime in 1952 which prevented him from joining the national team at the 1952 Summer Olympics
. He was also kicked out of university.
He competed with the national team at the 1956 Summer Olympics
, during which his friend and teammate Ivo Štakula
defected to Australia
. In 1957, he was awarded the Sportske novosti Croatian Sportsman of the Year
. At the 1959 Mediterranean Games
he won a gold medal. On the club level he was a long-time member of Croatian waterpolo club Jug
from Dubrovnik, multiple national champion.
In 1956 he finished a degree in law. He later finished a doctorate in law in 1965 at the University of Zagreb
, specializing in maritime law. Kačić also writes about history. He has collaborated with Ivo Pilar Institute of History.
He was elected to the Croatian Parliament for the first time in the country's first democratic elections in 1990
as an independent candidate. From 1994 to 2001 he was president of the State Commission for Borders of the Republic of Croatia.
In 1994 he received the Croatian Olympic Committee
's Matija Ljubek Award. He has served on the committee which gives out the Franjo Bučar State Award for Sport
. Kačić still actively supports Croatian water polo, retaining a position in the Croatian Water Polo Federation
and supporting the national team.
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
) is a former Croatian water polo player as well as an academic and politician.
At the age of 18, Kačić played for the Yugoslavia national water polo team at the 1950 European Water Polo Championship
European Water Polo Championship
The European Water Polo Championship is a sport competition for national water polo teams, currently held biannually and organized by the Ligue Européenne de Natation , the governing European aquatics federation. There are both men's and women's competitions.The first European Water Polo...
at which the team won bronze. During the 1950s he became out of favour with Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
's communist regime and had his passport confiscated on three occasions. He was jailed by the regime in 1952 which prevented him from joining the national team at the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
. He was also kicked out of university.
He competed with the national team at the 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
, during which his friend and teammate Ivo Štakula
Ivo Štakula
Ivo Štakula was a Croatian water polo player who represented Croatia and Yugoslavia nationally and was a long-time player for VK Jug Dubrovnik.He died in Melbourne....
defected to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In 1957, he was awarded the Sportske novosti Croatian Sportsman of the Year
Sportske novosti awards
Sportske novosti awards refer to a series of annual awards given out by Sportske novosti, a Croatian daily sports newspaper. It originated in the 1950s in the then-SFR Yugoslavia, and is today one of the most prestigious Croatian sport awards...
. At the 1959 Mediterranean Games
1959 Mediterranean Games
After visiting Africa and Europe, the Mediterranean Games were for the first time held in Asia in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, thus completing the trio of continents belonging to the Mediterranean Sea...
he won a gold medal. On the club level he was a long-time member of Croatian waterpolo club Jug
VK Jug Dubrovnik
VK Jug Dubrovnik is a water polo club from Dubrovnik, Croatia. Currently, VK Jug competes in the Croatian First League of Water Polo.VK Jug was established in 1923...
from Dubrovnik, multiple national champion.
In 1956 he finished a degree in law. He later finished a doctorate in law in 1965 at the University of Zagreb
University of Zagreb
The University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
, specializing in maritime law. Kačić also writes about history. He has collaborated with Ivo Pilar Institute of History.
He was elected to the Croatian Parliament for the first time in the country's first democratic elections in 1990
Croatian parliamentary election, 1990
Parliamentary elections were held in Croatia on 22 April 1990, with a second round of voting on 6 May. The first free elections since multi-party politics were introduced, they resulted in a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union, which won 55 of the 80 seats...
as an independent candidate. From 1994 to 2001 he was president of the State Commission for Borders of the Republic of Croatia.
In 1994 he received the Croatian Olympic Committee
Croatian Olympic Committee
The Croatian Olympic Committee is the non-profit organization representing Croatian athletes in the International Olympic Committee. The COC organizes Croatia's representatives at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. It also organizes the Croatian contingent at smaller events such as the...
's Matija Ljubek Award. He has served on the committee which gives out the Franjo Bučar State Award for Sport
Franjo Bucar State Award for Sport
Franjo Bučar State Award for Sport is the highest recognition that Republic of Croatia gives for extraordinary achievements and contributions of remarkable meaning for the development of sport in Croatia.This award has been given since 1991...
. Kačić still actively supports Croatian water polo, retaining a position in the Croatian Water Polo Federation
Croatian Water Polo Federation
The Croatian Water Polo Federation is the governing body of water polo in Croatia. It is based in Zagreb.It organizes the water polo leagues:* Croatian First League of Water Polo* Croatian First League B of Water Polo...
and supporting the national team.