Czech football coach faces backlash over changing room filming
The Czech Republic’s football community is reeling after the arrest of Petr Vlachovsky, a former coach lauded as one of the nation’s best for women’s football, on charges of secretly filming Slovacko players in their changing room for four years. The revelation, surfacing in 2023, exposes a deeply troubling pattern of abuse and a systemic failure to protect vulnerable athletes, prompting calls for stricter safeguarding measures and international sanctions.
A breach of trust, a legacy tarnished
Kristyna Janku, a defender who played under Vlachovsky’s guidance, recounted the devastating moment she received the news from police. Forced to review tapes, records, and online conversations, she and her teammates were confronted with the chilling reality of his actions. “It was like something you only see in films,” she stated, a sentiment shared by many within the team.
The scope of Vlachovsky’s actions is particularly disturbing. Beyond the clandestine filming, authorities discovered possession of content related to child sexual abuse, escalating the severity of the case and raising urgent questions about the screening processes for coaches across the sport.
Alex Phillips, secretary general of Fifpro, the global players’ union, underscored the pervasive nature of the problem. “This case is the tip of the iceberg,” he noted, highlighting the reluctance of players to come forward and the lack of adequate reporting mechanisms. The trust, so fundamental to the coach-athlete relationship, had been shattered.
Lenient sentence sparks outrage
Last May, Vlachovsky received a surprisingly lenient sentence: a one-year suspended sentence, a fine, and a five-year ban from football-related activities within the Czech Republic. However, due to a lapse in his federation membership, the nation’s football association has yet to impose sanctions. More alarmingly, the Czech FA has not filed a complaint with Fifa’s ethics committee, potentially allowing Vlachovsky to continue coaching abroad—a prospect that chills players like Janku.
The fallout extends beyond the Czech Republic. In Austria, a similar incident involving the secret filming of female footballers resulted in a seven-month suspended prison sentence and a fine for the perpetrator, alongside compensation for the victims. These parallel cases underscore a recurring issue of exploitation and the need for robust safeguards across the sport.
Janku, now playing in Poland, struggles with the lingering psychological impact. “I look at some situations differently, with coaches or members of staff,” she admitted. The insidious nature of the abuse has instilled a constant vigilance, a perpetual scanning for hidden cameras, a shadow cast over every locker room.
Fifpro’s director of women’s football, Alex Culvin, pointed to a disturbing trend: the deprioritization of women’s players, particularly those deemed less valuable. “It starts and ends with believing players,” she emphasized, echoing the sentiment that all allegations must be taken seriously, regardless of the perceived severity.
A call for systemic change
While safeguarding initiatives are reportedly gaining traction within football governing bodies, Phillips argues for a funded international entity, independent of sports organizations, to investigate and impose sanctions. He notes that past abuse cases, from Haiti to Afghanistan, only came to light through the diligence of journalists and unions.
The echoes of the Me Too movement resonate strongly within the football world. The Rubiales kiss incident in Spain, and the years of complaints ignored beforehand, serve as a stark reminder of the systemic biases that can protect abusers and silence victims. The fundamental principle, Culvin insists, is simple: believe the players. Vlachovsky's lenient sentence, a mere slap on the wrist, serves as a brutal indictment of a system that continues to fail its most vulnerable members.
Janku’s voice, her willingness to speak out, offers a glimmer of hope. “It’s a joke because that experience will stay with us for a lifetime,” she says, determined to ensure that Vlachovsky’s actions do not go unpunished and that future generations of female footballers are protected.