UEFA Hands Lifetime Ban To Czech Coach For Secretly Filming Female Players In Locker Rooms

UEFA has handed a lifetime ban to former Czech women’s football coach Petr Vlachovsky after he was convicted of secretly filming female players in locker rooms and showers over several years.

In its statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body said that Vlachovsky was found to have breached rules covering insulting and indecent behaviour and banned him “from exercising any football-related activity for life” on Tuesday.

UEFA also asked FIFA to extend the punishment “on a worldwide level” and requested the Czech Football Association to revoke Vlachovsky’s coaching licence.

What Did Petr Vlachovsky Do?

Vlachovsky, a former coach of 1. FC Slovacko, was arrested in 2023 after footage he secretly filmed was discovered online the footage online. He had filmed more than a dozen women over four years, with the youngest reportedly being 17 years old.

He was convicted in May 2025 after confessing and expressing regret, and was handed a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban. He was Slovacko’s coach for nearly 15 years, and also coached the Czech women’s under-19 national team.

FIFPRO, Slovacko React

The global players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the lifetime ban and backed calls to enforce it worldwide.

“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the wellbeing of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO said in a statement.

Vlachovsky’s former club Slovacko called the case “deeply serious and distressing”.

“From the moment we became aware of the allegations, the club acted immediately, terminated its cooperation with the former coach, and cooperated with the relevant authorities,” a club spokesperson said.