Czech soccer struggles on, off field

Czech soccer is in an embarrassing tailspin, and the unexpected 2-1 loss to rival Slovakia in an April 1 World Cup qualifier was just the beginning.

Only hours after losing to the Slovaks in Prague, five Czech team members were spotted in a downtown bar with apparent prostitutes. After triggering a scandal two years ago with a report on Czech players welcoming prostitutes into their hotel rooms, tabloid newspaper Blesk once again followed the players. Its reporters tailed about five Czech players to U Ševce Matouše restaurant near Prague Castle. Subsequently, prostitutes began arriving, too. While some players left the restaurant with the girls and headed to their hotel, the others stayed in the restaurant until morning.

Blesk's report made Czech Football Association (ČMFS) Chairman Pavel Mokrý take unprecedented action. He organized a quick online vote among 12 ČMFS executive board members about whether head coach Petr Rada should keep his position after such poor results and the disgraceful behavior of players. Four board members, including Jaroslav Starka, voted against Rada.

"It's obvious that the team can lose, but players should not then spend the night in a bar. ... There are certain principles that national team players must honor, and, if they do not, someone must step in to enforce them. ... That's why I voted for Rada's dismissal," Starka said.

Despite Starka's vote, there was little additional support for Rada's dismissal, so the coach has kept his position. Rada is expected to attend the ČMFS executive board hearing April 9 to elaborate on what's going on within the team. "I accept full responsibility for what goes on on the pitch, but not for what goes on afterward. ... Otherwise, I'd have to take every single player after the game, one by one, and escort him to the airport," Rada said.

But some of the national team's sponsors are exerting pressure on the ČMFS executive board to take decisive action.

"We've come to a clear conclusion that a quick response is needed," said Veronika Jakubcová from the PR department of car-maker Hyundai, one of the national team's major sponsors.

Broadcasting brotherhood

TV Nova, the broadcaster of the Czech-Slovak game, revived the old days of federal Czechoslovakia, assigning one Czech and one Slovak commentator for the game. The two men are currently working together during TV Nova's broadcast of English Premiership games. For the Czech-Slovak game, however, Slovak Slavo Jurko caused controversy among Czech TV viewers after excitedly celebrating both Slovak goals and with general comments expressing support for the Slovaks.

"We knew that the project of hiring a Czech and a Slovak for the game was a risk," said TV Nova Sports Editor Dušan Mendel. "It's obvious that only one side can be happy in such a game."

Downed dynasty

Meanwhile, in basketball, the powerhouse women's team Gambrinus Sika Brno, which has dominated the domestic league for the past 13 years, lost in the finals against longtime challenger USK Praha. Brno took an early 2-0 lead in the best-of-five finals but was unable to add the all-important third victory. In April 4's final game in Brno, the champions lost to USK 78-71. It was only the second home loss of Brno since 1994. USK celebrated the first victory against Brno this season Nov. 1.

"It was quite important for the finals. ... We knew we could beat them," USK captain Michaela Ferančíková said of the victory earlier this season.

Movin' on up

Brno's hockey team celebrates a return to the Extraliga after 13 years. Despite losing to Ústí nad Labem in the second-division playoffs, Brno owner Libor Zábranský bought an Extraliga license for next season from HC Znojmo's owner, Jaroslav Vlasák, who sold the license as his club continued to shed sponsors.

Zábranský, who paid 25 million Kč ($1.2 million) to Vlasák for the license, has high ambitions for the club.

"We'd like to advance to the playoff next season," he said.

František Bouc can be reached at
fbouc@praguepost.com