Life suspension for football coach who secretly filmed players

©My Profit Tutor via Unsplash

Petr Vlachovsky may never be active as a football coach ever again and may not even hold any position in the world of football for his entire life. The remarkable punishment was given to the Czech football coach by European football federation UEFA, which is also asking the World Football Federation FIFA to take over the punishment.

Football coach Vlachovsky was already sentenced to a one-year prison term and a five-month suspension in the Czech Republic last year. Petr Vlachovsky has now also been suspended for life for secretly filming players in the locker room and showers. At the time, he was the football coach of the women's team of FC Slovácko, one of the biggest clubs in Czech women's soccer that regularly competes in European competitions. One of the youngest victims was only 17. The trainer was fired when he was caught and the scandal broke out.

The Petr Vlachovský scandal came to light when Czech police tracked him down during an investigation into sharing images of child abuse. Investigators saw Vlachovský sharing covert videos of his players and later discovered 28 hidden recordings of players in the locker room and shower on his computer and external drives, plus images of child abuse. As a result, he was arrested in 2023.

Players' union FIFPRO welcomes the punishment for the 42-year-old Czech. "This sends a strong and necessary signal that abuse and inappropriate behavior have no place in football and that the welfare of players must remain a priority," a statement read.

Petr Vlachovsky was also previously coach of the Czech national women's under 19 team.

©My Profit Tutor via Unsplash - illustration image of a women's football match