Czech election: Šlégr wins a seat in Litvínov, Růžička misses out

Well-known athletes had very different results in the municipal elections. Jiří Šlégr was elected in Litvínov and hockey federation head Alois Hadamczik in Kravaře, while in Pardubice the hockey-backed movement “With Heart for Pardubice” finished last among nine lists.

Hockey players flop in Pardubice

The movement’s number two was Petr Sýkora, a former player and sports director of Dynamo Pardubice. World champions Vladimír Martinec and Jiří Novák also ran. Despite a visible campaign, the movement received the fewest votes of the nine lists. Its leader Josef Rak explained: “We have existed for three months, and this is our first election, a springboard for the future. Our result could not have been predicted. We will improve our programme.”

Dynamo defender Jan Koštálek, who ran for ANO in the Pardubice IV district, also failed to get in, and former player Jan Bulis from the same list fell below the cut-off. On the other hand, former goalkeeper Dušan Salfický and hockey reporter Jan Hrabal (both ANO) won seats on the city council, as did Ondřej Šebek, former head of the National Sports Agency and the rowing federation (ODS). Dynamo assistant coach Karel Mlejnek won a seat in Sokolov, climbing from 13th place to third.

Who won seats

In Litvínov, Robert Kisela was elected alongside Šlégr, both for the “We’ll Manage” group backed by the Our Czechia party. This new party was created by Martin Kuba, the successful head of the South Bohemian Region. Former NHL player Martin Hanzal was elected for it in České Budějovice. In Blansko, Kometa Brno defender Filip Král joined the council. Before the election he said that combining training and council meetings was possible: you simply need to get the documents in advance and prepare.

Hadamczik collected enough votes in Kravaře, and Prague’s Vinoř council now includes hockey commentator Milan Antoš (ODS). In Opava, as expected, former basketball player Petr Cudek got in, and in Olomouc so did Paris Olympic medallist fencer Jakub Jurka (KDU-ČSL). Olympic shooting champion Jiří Liptak defended his seat in Rajhradice, while silver-medal Olympic canoeist Vavřinec Hradilek was elected in Úhonice. In Rožnov, former ski jumper František Jež got in.

In Ústí nad Labem voters backed boxer Lukáš Konečný, while former hockey player Jan Čaloun missed out (both ran for “Unified Ústí”). Sport is traditionally well represented in Karlovy Vary, where the council will include former hockey player Václav Skuhravý and volleyball player Jakub Novotný.

Who fell short

In Chomutov, Nagano Games champion and coach Vladimír Růžička failed to win a seat for the coalition of SPD, the Motorists and PRO. Coach Martin Pešout and Angel Krstev of the Chomutov coalition were also unlucky. Hockey player Aron Chmielewski was not elected in Třinec either.

In Uherské Hradiště, former footballers Michal Kadlec and Milan Petržela ran from the back of the list, as did forward Jan Chramosta for ODS in Benátky nad Jizerou and footballers David Lischka and Michal Frydrych in Lugerzhovice. None of them won a seat. Pavel Hoftych, sports director and coach of football club Zlín, who ran for Prague’s city council, also failed. Former ski jumper and ODS politician Jakub Janda contested a seat in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm, but his party did not make it onto the council.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz