The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has banned Czech women’s football coach Petr Vlachovský from all football-related activities for life after he was found guilty of secretly filming his players.
The coach had previously been convicted in court in May 2025 and initially received a one-year suspended prison sentence along with a five-year coaching ban.
Reuters reported that Vlachovský was accused of secretly recording players of the Slovácko club in locker rooms. According to reports, the youngest victim among the players was 17 years old.
Based on the indictment cited by Czech media, the coach admitted the charges and expressed remorse for his actions.
In a statement, UEFA announced that its Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, after reviewing the case and allegations, decided to permanently ban Petr Vlachovský from all football-related activities.
The statement further noted that UEFA has also requested the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to enforce the ban worldwide. In addition, the Czech Football Federation has been asked to revoke his coaching license.
Petr Vlachovský had previously coached the Czech Republic women’s under-19 national football team.
A spokesperson for Slovácko club told Reuters: “This is a very serious and disturbing matter, and when it came to light in 2023, it had a major impact on the club and especially on the affected players.”
The spokesperson added: “The club immediately terminated its cooperation with the coach as soon as it became aware of the allegations and fully cooperated with the responsible authorities.”
Slovácko club also emphasized that throughout all stages of handling the case, it acted with full sensitivity and respect toward the affected players.
The global football players’ union, FIFPRO, also welcomed UEFA’s decision and called on FIFA to enforce the ban globally.
In a statement, FIFPRO said: “This decision sends a clear and important message that abusive and unethical behavior has no place in football, and that protecting the well-being and safety of players must remain a priority at all levels of the game.”
Writer:Salima Aryaei
