The Czech team could perform at the Olympic Games in 2024 in Paris under the name Czechia, or its English equivalent Czechia. All sports should gradually move to a short name. Their representatives agreed at today’s conference on a unified presentation of Czech sport.
For example, basketball, hockey and, more recently, football have already begun to use the one-word name Česko.
The name Czechia and its English equivalent Czechia were approved in the spring of 1993, shortly after the division of Czechoslovakia. After all, even in the name of the common state, which in 1918 had the form of Czechoslovakia, it was already included. It included Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia.
Academician Petr Pavlínek reminded that practically all countries have a so-called geographical name in addition to a political name such as the Czech Republic. According to him, there is no doubt that the English designation Czechia is the only possible option, even though the Czechs had it registered with the UN only in 2016.
In the domestic environment, the term Czechia was viewed skeptically for a long time, and the name Czech Republic was more often used for sports representation. “Political names are not used elsewhere in sport. Countries that have a short name use it. The use of the name Czech Republic contradicts international practice and leads to distortions,” said Pavlínek.
Even state institutions were not united in the past, but now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs clearly supports the path of a one-word name. The Czech Olympic Committee (WWTP), which has the power to ask the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to change the designation in the database of countries for sports matches, also agrees. The Czech Republic now figures there.
“In order to go to the Olympics in 2024 under a new name, we must make that decision now,” said Roman Kumpošt, WWTP’s vice-president for foreign relations.
He was waiting for the result of today’s conference, which was clearly in favor of a unified identity in the form of the Czechia or the Czech Republic. “I would like this rare match in the sports environment to be more common,” said Filip Neusser, chairman of the National Sports Agency (NSA).
The WWTP will discuss the new brand at the Executive Committee in early May. There will also be a decision when exactly the expected transition will begin.
The big unions have already reached for it. The last time the football team, although the chairman of the Czech Football Association, Petr Fousek, admitted that he did not like the name Czechia. “I had to give up my personal opinion. We chose a professional path. In the executive committee, the decision-making was paradoxically a five-minute affair,” he said.
The chairman of the Czech Canoeists’ Association, Jan Boháč, pointed out that the name change brought considerable financial costs for changing equipment for senior and youth national teams. He lacks greater motivation from the state, whether in a similar financial way or through manuals on how to conceive the brand
“The unions will equip the national teams for four years. It’s not just about deciding whether it will be the Czech Republic or the Czech Republic, it’s a question of finance,” he warned.
The management of Czech hockey also struggled with that. “It’s not just about jerseys, but especially sportswear for all the team. 90 players only spin in the season. We bought something new, but delivery is a matter of months. We sewed something, especially more expensive things like jackets,” said the secretary general. Martin Urban Association.
The NSA is planning a two-year transition period. Across the sporting environment, the one-word name of the national teams could begin to operate in the Olympic cycle between Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.
