The Serbian men's team, which won a bronze medal in the 2000 Games and a silver in 2004, wanted to win the elusive gold in Beijing, but its hopes were given a jolt in late June when captain and star player Danilo "Daca" Ikodinovic was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that left him in critical condition and surely out of Olympic competition.
Ikodinovic, 31, a part-time underwear model known for his celebrity romances, suffered serious injuries to his right arm and legs when his Yamaha motorcycle struck the side of a car while both were trying to overtake a tractor near Novi Sad. He underwent more than eight hours of surgery.
The loss of Ikodinovic is significant. He has averaged nearly a goal per match in more than 300 matches for Serbia. Just days before the accident, Ikodinovic scored the go-ahead goal in his nation's 7-3 victory in the World League final over the United States in Genoa, Italy.
At the European Water Polo Championships in Malaga, Spain, in early July, Serbian officials and supporters wore T-shirts that read: "Pobedi Daco -- swi smo uz tebe" (Daco win, we are all with you).
-- Amy Shipley
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