Nikola Rađen (Serbian Cyrillic: Никола Рађен, pronounced [nǐkola râdʑen]; born 29 January 1985) is a Serbian water polo player who plays for Serbian club Crvena zvezda. He was a member of the Serbia men's national water polo team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.[1] He won with Serbia the 2009 World Championship as well as the 2012 Eindhoven European Championship. Rađen has also won 2 LEN Euroleagues with his former clubs Partizan Raiffeisen (2011) and VK Crvena zvezda (2013).

Nikola Rađen
Rađen in 2017
Personal information
Born (1985-01-29) 29 January 1985 (age 39)
Sombor, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Nationality Serbian
Height 195 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Weight 121 kg (267 lb)
Position Defender
Handedness Right
Club information
Current team Crvena zvezda (men's water polo)
Senior clubs
Years Team
2000–2002
Vojvodina
2002–2011
Partizan Raiffeisen
2011–2012
NC Chios
2012–2014
Crvena zvezda
2014–2015
Olympiacos
2017
CSM Digi Oradea
2017–2019
WPC Dynamo Moscow
2019–2020
Crvena zvezda
2020–2021
AEK Athens
2021–2022
Crvena zvezda
National team
Years Team
2005–2006
 Serbia and Montenegro
2006–2014
 Serbia

National career edit

2012 Eindhoven edit

On 16 January, at the European Championship Rađen scored in the first game two goals in an 8–5 win against Spain. After next two games without goals, on 21 January in the fourth match, Rađen scored his third goal of the tournament for his national team in a routine victory against Romania 14–5. Nikola Rađen won the 2012 European Championship on 29 January. He scored a goal in the final against Montenegro which his national team won by 9–8.[2] This was his first gold medal at the European Championships.

Honours edit

Club edit

VK Partizan

  • LEN Champions League (1): 2010–11
  • National Championship of Serbia (5): 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
  • National Cup of Serbia (5): 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
  • Eurointer League (2): 2010, 2011

VK Crvena Zvezda

Olympiacos

CSM Digi Oradea

Dynamo Moscow

  • National Cup of Russia (2): 2017–18, 2018–19

Failed drug test edit

On 15 May 2015, Serbian media published that Rađen was tested positive for cocaine after the World League game between Serbia and Spain, held on 17 February 2015.[4] The penalty for such doping violation is 4 years of not participating in any kind of sport events. On 18 May 2015, he was officially temporary suspended by FINA due to continued investigation into his positive doping results to cocaine metabolites.[5][6] Furthermore, two days later, Olympiacos, the club with whom he was under the contract, terminated the contract for violating the terms of it.[7] On 24 August 2015, he was officially suspended on a 4-year period by FINA for positive doping results; from tests taking place on 17 February, and nearly two months later, on 15 April.[8]

Personal life edit

He joined the Serbian Progressive Party in November 2023.[9]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Nikola Rađen". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Serbia 2012 European champions". Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  3. ^ Παναθηναϊκός-Ολυμπιακός 10-18. sport24.gr. 9 May 2015. (in Greek).
  4. ^ N., V. (18 May 2015). "FINA još ćuti, Rađen čeka kaznu". novosti.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  5. ^ "ADAS: FINA suspendovala Rađena". b92.net (in Serbian). Antidoping Agencija Srbije. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  6. ^ "VSS: Rađen privremeno suspendovan". b92.net (in Serbian). 19 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  7. ^ "Olimpijakos otpustio Rađena". b92.net (in Serbian). 20 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  8. ^ "Nikola Radjen, Serbian Water Polo Player And Olympic Medalist, Suspended For Four Years By FINA Doping Panel". swimmingworldmagazine.com. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  9. ^ ""ZAJEDNO U NOVE POBEDE, SRBIJA NE SME DA STANE": Nikola Rađen postao novi član SNS porodice (FOTO)". NOVOSTI (in Serbian). Retrieved 20 November 2023.

External links edit