EXCLUSIVE
A football coach who died in a fall at a luxury Bali hotel in January was only buried last week after a bitter legal battle over his body between his new fiancée and her family.
Zoran Vidovic, 53, dove from the top floor restaurant terrace of the five-star Apurva Kempinski Hotel in Nusa Dua to a garden bed eight meters below on January 28.
His fiancée, criminal lawyer Zagi Kozarov, 50, desperately tried to hold on to him as he teetered on the edge before witnessing his horrific fall.
The father-of-two later died in hospital from his injuries.
Mr Vidovic, a popular cricketer, football coach and Geelong community figure, was only laid to rest in a private ceremony on Friday March 15, more than 45 days after his tragic death.
It has since emerged that part of the delay was due to a fight over his body after the coroner had initially appointed Ms Kozarov as guardian of his remains.
Zoran Vidovic (left) plunged to his death in Bali. His fiancée, criminal lawyer Zagi Kozarov (right), 50, desperately tried to hold on to him as he teetered on the edge before witnessing his horrific fall.
Zoran Vidovic, 53, dove from the top-floor restaurant terrace of the five-star Apurva Kempinski Hotel in Nusa Dua.
“The coroner gave me his body, I didn’t ask for it. And then her daughter objected and it was ugly,” Ms Kozarov told Daily Mail Australia.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the girl in question for comment.
It is understood that Ms Kozarov, who was banned from attending his memorial service by Mr Vidovic’s family, was also not allowed to visit his body before it was released by the coroner’s court.
“I don’t want this to become tit for tat. I want to have decorum. I am a woman of integrity and that is how I will remain so,” Ms. Korazov said.
She added: “I have to accept what the coroner says if I don’t accept it, which only delays Zoran’s burial.”
“I could have taken the case to the Supreme Court, but I want him to be buried.”
“I’m portrayed in a certain way by the Geelong community without them even knowing me, I can’t even defend myself.”
“I could easily go for defamation, but I don’t want that. I need to heal and I need to cry.
Zagi Kozarov said he was even banned from attending the memorial service (pictured) for Zoran Vidovic, which saw hundreds of mourners fill the GHMBA Stadium social hall.
Zago Kozarov told Daily Mail Australia she held her own private memorial for Mr Vidovic (pictured above), where she also “released doves for his soul” (pictured below).
But Ms Kozarov’s attempts at mourning were thwarted by council pens who rejected her request for a plaque in memory of her partner of almost five years.
Previously, the council authorized plaques for “persons of exceptional importance”.
But in December 2023, they closed submissions for any new plates.
“The rules were changed in December and Zoran died in January. I asked for it as soon as I got home because I knew I wouldn’t be allowed to attend the funeral and the rest,” Ms Kozarov said.
“I wanted something to commemorate him and he used to walk along Eastern Beach every day and I wanted this to be my way of saying goodbye to him.
“I just feel like no matter what I do, my doors always close.”
The Melbourne-based lawyer then referred his request to the office of Trent Sullivan, mayor of the City of Greater Geelong.
She even offered to pay for the plaque and its maintenance out of her own pocket.
But it was later rejected by the council’s public art team.
“I am appalled by the advice,” Ms Kozarov said.
“This man has been grieved by all of Geelong. Everyone mourns him.
“How can the mayor deny a man a plaque after everything he has done for Geelong and after so many people have mourned him? Is it because I asked for it? Yes, of course it is.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Geelong Mayor’s Office for comment.
Ms Kozarov said she found herself isolated following the tragedy.
“I’ve been left out of everything and I’m his fiancée,” she said.
“The family pushed me away, they didn’t approve of our relationship.”
She revealed she held her own private memorial for Mr Vidovic, where she lit candles and released doves.
“I had my own memorial with my family and children in the church and released doves for his soul,” Ms Kozarov said.
She also has a shrine to her ex-lover in her home, complete with a religious lamp and a black-and-white photo of the two of them in a loving embrace.
The couple got engaged on December 9 and were on a three-week vacation in Bali when tragedy struck.
Zagi Kozarov (pictured)’s attempts to grieve were thwarted by council pen sellers who rejected his request for a plaque to remember his partner of almost five years.
Zagi Kozarov also has a shrine for his ex-lover Zoran Vidovic in his house, with a religious lamp and a black and white photo of the two of them in a loving embrace (pictured).
Ms Kozarov previously told Daily Mail Australia of her fight to save Mr Vidovic.
She revealed how she begged him to think about their future together and his daughters as he stood precariously on the wrong side of a glass barrier on the hotel restaurant terrace.
Ms Kozarov grabbed his T-shirt in an attempt to pull him to safety, but was unable to hold him before he fell and collapsed to his death.
“I looked him in the eyes and told him I loved him, and I tried to hold him back,” she cried as she relived the heartbreaking incident.
“But I’m only 1.70m tall – I couldn’t get him past the glass barrier.
“I was surrounded by about 15 to 20 men, but they weren’t doing anything. They were just talking on their walkie-talkies.
“They could have saved him but no one did anything to help me. No one was trying to get him to safety.
Heartbroken Ms Kozarov, 50, earlier revealed how she begged Mr Vidovic to think about their future together – and his daughters, Bella, 21, and Lulu, 18 – as he teetered on edge of the abyss.
Friends paid tribute to Zoran Vidovic’s sporting exploits after tragedy
The tragedy came just three weeks after Mr Vidovic last saw his family at his daughter Bella’s 21st birthday party, two nights before he flew to Bali with Ms Kozarov.
Mr Vidovic was rushed to hospital in the back of a car by hotel staff, where he later died.
His body was flown back to Australia after the tragedy on January 28 and a service was held in his memory at GHMBA Stadium in his hometown of Geelong, Victoria, on February 23.
The packed ceremony heard from friends and family, including Mr Vidovic’s daughters Bella, 21, and Lulu, 18, but Ms Kozarov’s name was never even mentioned.
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