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Bad boys

Violent tantrum by Sparta's Řepka causes sponsor to step in

By František Bouc
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
September 26th, 2007 issue

ČTK
Sparta captain Tomáš Řepka was banned from the league for seven games and fined 150,000 Kč after his outburst at Teplice Sept. 16.
Hothead, madman, psycho. Few in Czech soccer could currently find a more positive description for Sparta Praha captain Tomáš Řepka.
“He’s a true madman, and it would be best if he left Czech soccer,” said Czech Television’s sports editor, Otakar Černý.
The always controversial player incited arguably the biggest scandal of his career when he attacked game officials and a TV cameraman at the end of a Gambrinus liga game in Teplice, north Bohemia, Sept. 16.
The incident — the latest in a long line of bad behavior by Sparta players — has caused the club’s major sponsor, Fortuna, to run out of patience with the club’s bad press. The betting chain’s management, which pays about 30 million Kč ($1.5 million) to Sparta per year, has entered talks with the team, according to Fortuna spokesman Tomáš Grombíř.
“We’re requesting that Sparta take immediate action to change its players’ behavior,” Grombíř said. “There’s a danger that such controversies could harm our own image.”
More than any other player, Řepka is the source of Fortuna’s dismay.
With a few minutes remaining in the Teplice game, Řepka decided to protest a referee’s decision to dismiss Sparta head coach Michal Bílek from the pitch. Řepka rushed to the sideline to argue with the official, who was directing Bílek to the stands.
Řepka lost his cool, throwing vulgar insults in all directions and quickly earning a red card; as he left the field, he smashed a Czech Television camera. Joining Řepka in the fray was his teammate Martin Abrahám, warming the bench for the game, who came close to physically attacking the referee.
Following the fracas, the Czech Soccer Association’s (ČMFS’s) disciplinary committee levied its largest-ever sanction against one player Sept. 20. Řepka was banned from playing in the Gambrinus liga for Sparta’s next seven games, forcing him off the pitch for the next two months. The ČMFS also barred him from serving as captain for 18 months, and levied a 700,000 Kč fine against Sparta.
“Řepka repeatedly violated disciplinary rules. We had to take into account his controversial behavior,” said the committee’s chairman, Alexander Károlyi.
Anger and hatred
The 33-year-old defender returned to Sparta in January 2006 after eight years playing at the highest level in Italy and England. Wherever he played, he was recognized as a man who could not control his temper. Still, when joining Sparta, Řepka promised he would work toward improving his image.
“I cannot promise I’ll be a good boy from now on, but I’ll do all I can to make sure I don’t harm Sparta,” he said.
Soon after, however, he began mixing it up. In May 2006, at a game in Ostrava, he hollered at opposing coach Karel Večeřa, calling him a cretin. Then, in September of last year, Řepka responded to opposing fans’ whistling during a game. In Teplice, he also raised his middle finger.
For that last offense, the disciplinary committee fined Řepka 80,000 Kč and Sparta’s management said another such incident could cost Řepka his job.
While Sparta fined both Řepka and Abrahám 150,000 Kč for the recent Teplice incident, and, according to Sparta spokesman Lukáš Přibyl, said that “such behavior is not acceptable,” Řepka is in no danger of being fired.
That is to the dismay of critics around the league, as Řepka’s tantrum is only the most recent of a series of Sparta controversies.
Earlier this month, midfielder Pavel Horváth gave what appeared to be a Nazi salute to a stand full of Sparta fans at Viktoria Žižkov stadium. Although the player denied any anti-Semitic intentions, the disciplinary committee fined him 200,000 Kč.
In particular, state-owned Czech Television was outraged after the Řepka incident, saying it would not tolerate any attacks against its cameras. Sports Editor Černý even threatened to stop broadcasting the Gambrinus liga on his station; Černý later called off the threat after Sparta apologized for Řepka.
“We’ll deal with the ČMFS to make sure the security of our personnel at the stadiums is guaranteed,” Černý said. “While we won’t stop broadcasting due to just one player, I believe Řepka should be disqualified from competition for good. He brings only anger and hatred, and that’s not what we want to see at Gambrinus liga stadiums.”

František Bouc can be reached at fbouc@praguepost.com


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