Czech football coach secretly films women's team members in changing room, player's union demand lifetime ban

Petr Vlachovsky, former coach at top-division women’s club in Czechia 1. FC Slovacko, was handed avoided jail time for secretly filming members of his team in changing room after he was slapped with a one-year suspended prison sentence and five years of ban from coaching in the country. However, the player’s union wants a stricter punishment for the former coach.

Vlachovsky was convicted in May 2025, without a public hearing, after the authorities found that he secretly filmed her team’s players in changing rooms and showers over a four-year period. He also coached an U-19 women’s national side and was also caught in possession of child sexual abuse material. His youngest victim was jut 17-year-old.

Player’s body wants stricter action

With the current punishment, Vlachovsky could return to coaching by 2030 and can still go overseas to take up such roles. This is what the player’s body wants changed.

“The Czech player union CAFH has been closely supporting the players since Vlachovsky’s arrest,” FIFPRO, global union for professional football players, said in a statement on Tuesday. “Because the Czech criminal process and the Czech FA’s administrative proceedings are separate and can run in parallel, the union is challenging the FA to implement a lifetime football ban for Vlachovsky and all sexual offenders. FIFPRO is exploring possible legal avenues on behalf of players to achieve a global ban.”

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“As it stands, Vlachovsky could be back coaching in Czechia by the end of 2030, while there are no current legal restrictions stopping him from coaching abroad even before that,” FIFPRO said in a post on X. “The victims did not have the opportunity to attend a public trial and could not file an appeal against what players view as extremely lenient sentencing.”

“Non-contact sexual abuse is still abuse, and players must be protected,” the global body added.