A former head coach who secretly recorded women footballers in changing rooms and showers has received a lifetime ban from Uefa, the governing body of European football.
Petr Vlachovsky was previously sentenced to one year in prison, suspended, along with a five-year coaching ban in the Czech Republic last year after being found guilty of filming 14 players over a span of four years.
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Uefa’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) determined that Vlachovsky had violated regulations regarding indecent behavior and damaged the reputation of football.
As a result, Uefa has imposed a lifetime prohibition on him from engaging in any football-related activities.
Vlachovsky, who spent nearly 15 years coaching girls and women at the top-tier club 1. FC Slovacko, was arrested in September 2023 after police uncovered the illicit footage posted online.
The 42-year-old was also discovered to be in possession of materials related to child sexual abuse.
The CEDB has requested that Fifa, football’s global governing body, extend the ban worldwide, preventing Vlachovsky from participating in any football-related activities globally.
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Additionally, it has mandated the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke his coaching license.
Players’ union Fifpro revealed that the women at 1. FC Slovacko only became aware of the secret recordings following his arrest.
Fifpro, the organization representing professional footballers globally, reported that the players were recorded using a camera hidden in Vlachovsky’s backpack, with the youngest among them being just 17.
Earlier this year, a group of victims spoke out to demand further measures, sharing with Czech media publication Seznam Zpravy that his actions had caused them significant distress, making them fearful and anxious about being in public.
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Fifpro welcomed Uefa’s decision, stating: “This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behavior has no place in football.”
Vlachovsky had previously led the Czech Republic’s Under-19 women’s team and was once recognized as the country’s best women’s coach.