UEFA Issues Lifetime Ban for Czech Coach Convicted of Secret Filming

European soccer’s governing body has issued a lifetime ban to a former Czech women’s football coach after he was convicted of secretly filming his players in locker rooms and showers. UEFA announced the sanction against Petr Vlachovsky on Tuesday, effectively barring him from all football-related activities.

The ban follows Vlachovsky’s arrest in 2023 and a subsequent criminal conviction in the Czech Republic last year. Authorities discovered he had used a miniature camera concealed in a backpack to record players, some as young as 17, without their knowledge over a period of several years. Investigators also stated he was found in possession of child mistreatment material.

In May 2025, a Czech court handed Vlachovsky a one-year suspended prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban. The verdict, which was issued without a public trial, was met with significant criticism from player advocates who argued it was insufficient. The case was subsequently brought to the attention of international sports bodies by the Czech Association of Soccer Players.

UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body determined that Vlachovsky’s actions violated regulations concerning insulting...