Footballer from the Zlín Region banned for a year over Hitler moustache gesture and Nazi salute

The football association's disciplinary commission has handed a one-year playing ban to a player from FC Rýmice over a gesture resembling a Nazi salute. The incident took place two years ago: after scoring a goal, the player pressed the index and ring fingers of his left hand under his nose to mimic Adolf Hitler's moustache, while raising his right arm straight out — a gesture resembling the Nazi "Sieg Heil" salute.

According to the commission's report, the punishment was issued under Article 67 of the regulations, which prohibits religious, ideological and political propaganda. The player has rejected the ruling and filed an appeal.

Club calls the punishment "devastating"

Club chairman Zdeněk Machovský called the commission's decision excessively harsh. "This is a career-ending punishment — as far as we're concerned, it's not a punishment, it's the end of his playing days," he said. He added that he had not seen the match himself and could not even recall which game was in question, given that two years had passed.

Machovský also said police had looked into the case but ultimately decided not to pursue charges. "The police closed the case — they're not dealing with it — yet the player got a year-long ban. I don't understand on what grounds, if the police aren't even pursuing the matter," the club chairman noted. He admitted he could not explain why the punishment came only now, two years after the incident: about a year ago, he said, he was told the case was under review, then there was a long silence, until suddenly he received a call saying the player had been summoned before the disciplinary commission.

How the commission explains its decision

Zdeněk Kadlček, head of the Zlín Region disciplinary commission, clarified the timeline of events. He said the incident indeed happened two years ago, but the commission only received the materials for review a year ago. The case was passed to the police, who investigated it but closed it without consequences ten days ago.

Following that, the Football Association of the Czech Republic instructed the regional commission to handle the matter itself, which resulted in the one-year disciplinary ban.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz