Overview
- UEFA’s Ethics and Disciplinary Chamber imposed the lifetime ban in a decision announced on Tuesday after an internal investigation by a UEFA ethics inspector.
- A Czech court convicted Vlachovský in 2025 for secretly filming a total of 14 players over four years and handed him a one-year suspended prison sentence and a five-year professional ban.
- Police arrested Vlachovský in September 2023 after discovering covert recordings online and found material during searches that investigators say included depictions of child sexual abuse; players reportedly learned of the recordings only after that arrest and the youngest identified victim was 17.
- UEFA has formally asked FIFA to recognise the life ban so it takes effect worldwide and has directed the Czech Football Association to revoke Vlachovský’s coaching licence, meaning enforcement now depends on FIFA action and national administrative steps.
- Player union FIFPRO and the Czech FA welcomed the sanction as an important safeguarding signal, and the case raises questions about how sports bodies and courts coordinate to protect athletes and prevent future abuse.