A historic house in Serbia's capital hangs on with intimate theatrical productions

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — It may be out of place on a busy downtown street and it may be a bit run down, but this small mansion in central Belgrade is thriving.

Its walls crumbling and shutters closed, a 19th century house filled with period furniture is keeping a piece of the Serbian capital’s history intact even as everything around it has transformed. The house has endured on one of the city's main thoroughfares, turning into a theater named Takovska17.

Built in 1894 by a prominent Belgrade family, the house at 17 Takovska street is listed as a protected heritage site. Located across the street from the headquarters of Serbian public broadcaster RTS, cars and trolley buses rumble by constantly.

Step indoors and it could as easily be a winter afternoon in 1926. Several local theater troupes have made Takovska17 their home, staging plays from the early 20th century in front of audiences of just a few dozen people.

“This house has become a true little theater with its own repertoire,” said Isidora Ristic, who is acting in a murder mystery with the Artisti amateur troupe. “It’s become a character in our plays.”

Tamara Masic, an architect and a member of the troupe, said she is happy to see that the old house has survived in its original form.

The actors, she said, “have had the honor to breath a new life into this object and give it a new glow.”

The period atmosphere and intimate setting has been such a success that there often is a waiting list for tickets.

Inside, colors on the walls have faded with age and many decorations are hardly visible. Wooden floor boards bear the deep marks of more than a century of use, much of its decor dating back to the early 20th century.

The house “really is like a museum,” Masic said.

Elsewhere in Belgrade, scores of similar houses have been torn down by investors, wiping out entire residential neighborhoods and replacing them with multistorey buildings.

But Takovska17 "refuses to go,” its web page says. “It has been here since 1894, proud, smelling of old wood and new stories.”

Tamara Masic, an amateur actor, poses for a photograph in an old villa used for theater performances by an independent theater production, in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)

Dragomir Kadovic, an amateur actor, poses for a photograph in an old villa used for theater performances by an independent theater production, in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)

Pieces of furniture and portraits are seen in an old villa used for theater performances by an independent theater production, in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)

Milan Vukajlovic, an amateur actor, poses for a photograph in an old villa used for theater performances by an independent theater production, in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)

Sofija Ristic, right, an amateur theater director and actor, gets makeup applied in an old villa used for theater performances by an independent theater production, in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The entire executive committee of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) resigned Wednesday after a scandal involving the naturalization of seven foreign-born players led to FIFA sanctions, a court appeal and intensified scrutiny of the country’s soccer governance.

All committee members, elected 11 months ago for the 2025–2029 term, stepped down with immediate effect in a unanimous and voluntary decision in order to protect the association’s credibility.

The mass resignation followed FIFA’s decision last September to fine the association about $450,000 and suspending the seven players for a year after determining that fake documents had been filed to support their naturalization. The players — Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal and Héctor Hevel— were also fined individually.

The seven, who originate from Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands and Spain, went on to play for Malaysia, including in a qualifying match for the 2027 Asian Cup that Malaysia won against Vietnam.

Malaysian officials had maintained that all seven players were eligible under FIFA rules because each had a grandparent born in Malaysia. FIFA, however, said its investigators obtained original documents from the players’ countries of origin that contradicted those claims.

In a statement Wednesday, FAM said the committee had been elected for a four-year mandate covering the 2025–2029 term and the decision to resign after just 11 months demonstrated that service to Malaysian soccer takes precedence over holding office.

The mass resignation was intended to safeguard the association’s reputation and mitigate further consequences for Malaysian football, it said. It would allow FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation to review governance, administrative and procedural matters within FAM, and ensure any reforms can be undertaken without distraction or perceived conflicts of interest, it said.

“The executive committee recognizes the importance of collective responsibility and the need to act in a manner that protects the integrity and standing of the sssociation,” the statement said.

FAM said the move was aimed at restoring confidence among supporters, stakeholders and the wider football community, emphasizing that institutional credibility is essential to the stability and future development of the sport in Malaysia. The outgoing leadership will fully cooperate with FIFA, the AFC and other stakeholders. No timeline was announced for interim leadership or new elections.

Acting FAM president Mohamad Yusoff Mahadi told local media that committee secretary-general Noor Azman Rahman will continue overseeing day-to-day operations of the governing body, which is expected to convene a congress to appoint a new executive committee.

After FIFA rejected FAM’s appea l, it took the case to sports highest court based in Switzerland. FAM said Tuesday that the Court of Arbitration for Sport had temporarily halted the FIFA-imposed ban on the players, allowing them to compete while an appeal is reviewed. It didn't say when a final ruling is expected.

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FILE -Malaysia's Rodrigo Holgado, left, vies for the ball with Vietnam's Do Duy Manh during the AFC Asian Cup qualifier Group F soccer match between Malaysia and Vietnam at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File)