Lejla Njemčević Awarded the Bosnia and Herzegovina State Sports Award

The Minister of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dubravka Bošnjak, presented the State Sports Award to Lejla Njemčević in Sarajevo, one of the most successful athletes of Bosnia and Herzegovina over the past decade and a distinguished competitor in mountain biking.

The decision to award the Bosnia and Herzegovina State Sports Award was made by the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, upon the proposal of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH. Prior to this, the Award Committee, after reviewing all submitted nominations and in accordance with the criteria set out in the public call, proposed Lejla Njemčević as the most outstanding candidate. In addition to the recognition, she was also awarded a monetary prize in the amount of 10,000 BAM.

As a mountain biking competitor in the cross-country marathon discipline, Njemčević has achieved exceptional results that have placed her at the very top of world cycling. Particularly noteworthy is her ranking as number one on the UCI world ranking list in this discipline, making her the first athlete from Bosnia and Herzegovina to reach the top of the global cycling rankings.

“Lejla Njemčević’s results have multiple significance, including strengthening the international visibility of Bosnia and Herzegovina in sports. Her achievements confirm that athletes from our country can attain top-level results even in highly demanding individual disciplines,” said Minister Bošnjak.

“For me, receiving the Bosnia and Herzegovina State Sports Award is an exceptional honor and a great recognition of years of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. It is especially meaningful that the results achieved on the international stage are recognized at the institutional level in my home country. This award is not only a confirmation of past success, but also a strong motivation to continue working and achieving even better results in the future. I believe that our athletes have the potential to be among the best in the world, and this kind of support provides an additional boost for all of us,” stated Lejla Njemčević.

This recognition further confirms Lejla Njemčević’s role as one of the most prominent ambassadors of Bosnian and Herzegovinian sports on the international stage.

In addition to the State Sports Award, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, through the categorization process in 2025, included a total of 63 athletes, of whom 12 were recognized as meritorious athletes and 51 as international-class athletes. Financial awards ranging from 1,400 to 2,600 BAM were secured for them.