PRAGUE “The President of the Republic Miloš Zeman is acquainted with the situation in detail,” says a letter from Castle Chancellor Vratislav Mynář addressed to the UEFA football association due to the Kúdel case. It was provided to the Lidovky.cz server by the Office of the President of the Republic. Read it in full without editorial changes.
Letter to the UEFA Disciplinary Board
Head of CPR Ing. On 15 April 2021, Vratislav Mynář sent a letter to the members of the UEFA Disciplinary Committee as follows:
Dear Disciplinary Board,
I would like to address you in this open letter in connection with your recent decision to punish Ondřej Kúdela. He was punished for an alleged racist statement, which he was supposed to make on March 18, 2021 during the Rangers FC match against SK Slavia Praha. According to your verdict, he may not compete in the next 10 matches.
A lot has happened in the mentioned match. SK Slavia Praha played a good opportunity to score the score, but the home team’s left defense cleared the ball to a corner. The opponent’s response was an insidious foul, one of which ended in a serious injury to goalkeeper Ondřej Kolář. He ended up with a skull fracture and will have to walk on the field with a helmet for the rest of his life. After the second goal collected, the opponent behaved rudely, unsportsmanlike and frustrated. The Czech athletes were attacked by the opponent inside the stadium after the end of the match and were not allowed into the cabins. Result? The player who crushed the opponent’s skull with a football boot received a penalty from you for not entering 4 matches, another player for a physical attack for a three-match penalty.
Slavist Koudel has served an exemplary punishment for racism, he will also lose the Euro. Kamara will not play three matches, the Rangers will pay |
And the alleged racism? Penalty for 10 matches. I note that racism is unproven and alleged. The UEFA inspector himself questioned that Ondřej Kúdela had made a racist statement. Nevertheless, you have decided on a completely unprecedented punishment for a player who did not harm anyone and only verbally – according to his statement – offended his opponent. You condemn a decent person without a single piece of evidence. You make it impossible for athletes to fulfill their dream in the European League. All this just to fulfill the perverted expectations of a small group of activists and a club unable to win on the field, all the more so by shouting empty and hurtful phrases about racism.
In your submission, the fight against racism has become the fight of the unsuccessful against the successful, the pinnacle of hypocrisy, positive discrimination and embarrassing undermining with stupid trends. Your efforts can lead to the opposite, to a situation where a person with a skin color other than black will be discriminated against, oppressed and curtailed. That is why I also consider it necessary to oppose this procedure.
Although you’re probably not used to it, let me tell you one thing. I very much appreciate the fact that the Czech public does not identify with your verdict, across the whole society. On the contrary, even if only for a short time, you have managed to unite ancient rivals. We will not kneel before you and no threats apply to the Czech football fan.
The President of the Republic Miloš Zeman is acquainted with the situation in detail and considers it important not only from the point of view of sport, but also from the point of view of justice and human dignity. It expresses belonging to all citizens of the Czech Republic who follow this case and are disappointed during it. At the same time, he wishes all players and fans not to be discouraged by the whole affair and to continue to support their team so valiantly.
Ing. Vratislav Mynář, Head of the Office of the President of the Republic
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