None of the three Czech teams in this season's UEFA Cup advanced to the second round. Mladá Boleslav was the last team to get eliminated from the competition after drawing 1-1 with Hapoel Tel Aviv Dec. 13 in Israel. Mladá Boleslav needed one win to advance. Sparta Praha and Slovan Liberec were disqualified earlier.

NEDVĚD

Controversial soccer midfielder Pavel Nedvěd has raised turmoil in Italy. His agent told media Dec. 6 that Nedvěd was threatening to end his career in protest against a five-game suspension he received after being given a red card in Juventus Turin's game against FC Genoa in the second divison Dec. 1. The 34-year-old former Czech national team captain deliberately stepped on the referee's foot after being shown a red card in late stages of the game. Nedvěd said later that his agent was misquoted by the media and that talks about the end of his career were speculatory.

ELECTION

Pavel Telička, the Czech Republic's first European Commissioner, was voted president of the Czech Rugby Union Dec. 9. He will be at the helm of Czech rugby for the next four years. Telička worked in Romano Prodi's European Commission from the country's European Union accession in May 2004 until October 2004.

YOUNGSTER

Twenty-year-old goaltender Marek Schwarz became the youngest Czech goalie ever to make an appearance in the National Hockey League Dec. 12. Schwarz conceded 3 goals to the Chicago Blackhawks as the St. Louis Blues lost 3-2.

TRIAL

Slavia Praha's top soccer goalie Matúš Kozáčik is considering departing for the English second division's Leeds United. Kozáčik left for England in mid-December for a one-week trial, and his performance there would determine whether or not the English side offers him a contract.

DRIVER

David Vršecký failed to reach 300 kilometers per hour (186 miles per hour) to set a world trailer-truck speed record on a closed highway from Prague to Hradec Králové on Dec. 8. Vršecký had to slow down at the speed of 286 kilometers per hour due to slippery road conditions.

INDOORS

Sazka Arena will host an indoor tournament in which all top Czech soccer clubs will participate Jan. 13-14. The tournament will become the first major indoor soccer event in Prague in the past decade.

DRAW

Ticket holders for the national team's crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Germany in Prague March 23 will be drawn by the Czech Soccer Association in late February. Applications for tickets, which cost 500-2,000 Kč ($24-95), should be sent to www.cmfs.cz by Jan. 26.

RALLY

Škoda Motorsport will make a comeback to the World Rally Championship series after a two-year absence. The bid to return was approved by the parent Volkswagen Group in late November.

FAILURE