UEFA has handed Petr Vlachovsky a lifetime ban from all football-related activity after concluding a case involving the secret filming of women players in changing rooms, marking one of the governing body’s strongest disciplinary actions in recent years.
The decision, announced Tuesday, follows an investigation by UEFA’s Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector into allegations spanning several years and involving players at Czech top-flight club 1. FC Slovacko.
Vlachovsky, a long-serving coach in Czech women’s football and former national Under-19 coach, was found to have used a concealed camera to record players in private spaces between 2019 and 2023.
Reports indicate at least 14 players were filmed without consent, including a minor aged 17 at the time.
The footage was later discovered online, leading to his arrest in September 2023. Czech authorities also found illegal sexual abuse material in his possession.
In May 2025, a Czech court convicted him, issuing a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban. The ruling was limited to the Czech Republic, a factor that later intensified pressure for wider international sanctions.
UEFA steps in with lifetime ban
UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body ruled that Vlachovsky would be banned for life from all football activity under its jurisdiction.
The governing body also requested FIFA extend the sanction worldwide and instructed the Czech Football Association to revoke his coaching licence, effectively seeking to close any pathway for a return to the sport.
Players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ruling, saying it reinforced the principle that abusive behaviour has no place in football and that player safety must remain central at all levels of the game.
The case has also reignited debate over safeguarding in women’s football and the adequacy of national-level punishments in cases involving non-contact sexual abuse, particularly where digital recordings are used.
Slovacko has not issued an immediate response to UEFA’s announcement.