ANTOŠ’S RAZOR: About the incredible nothing that should never be forgotten

Huge congratulations to all women’s hockey. But it is necessary to remember the times when it was very difficult for girls to play hockey in the Czech Republic. Women’s hockey was not a bed of roses here, it doesn’t have its own competition, the girls trained with the boys and from a certain age they are not comfortable changing in the cabin made of ribbons in front of the boys.

Without any notice from the union, they tried to establish themselves for a long time, to play at least some kind of league. They were helped by hundreds of nameless coaches and parents who invested their own money and time in them because no one else was helping them.

It should never be forgotten that what we are all applauding now was preceded by an incredible nothingness that many coaches cared about. Perhaps I will mention only two – Karel Manhart, who started with women’s hockey here, and Petr Tejral, who now has a daughter in the nursery.

For me, this bronze is a medal for all those parents and girls who don’t even play today. But it was exactly about them to keep Czech women’s hockey alive in difficult times. I would really like our girls to be able to play an adequate competition at home; even international; and they didn’t have to go to Sweden, Russia or America for a scholarship, when some would rather stay at home.

After the election of Alois Hadamczyk in June, absolute silence reigned in the hockey association, which is caused by ongoing audits checking the actions of the previous management. The silence was only broken by the ban on representation for boys who signed a contract in the KHL after the war. This applies to Dmitri Yaškin and Rudolf Červené, on the other hand, it does not apply to Libor Šulák and Michal Jordán, because they already had contracts in Russia before the war in Ukraine.

All the players who have already made millions are easily told the rest not to go to Russia. I don’t want to protect anyone with an alibi, but I think we should focus on the stories of the players in question.

I am not surprised by Jaškin’s involvement in Russia. He was born in Russia, he has almost his entire family there, and he regularly goes there to train in the summer. For him, simply being in Russia is nothing special.

The fact that Červený will sign the contract in Russia is a matter of finances. He probably didn’t get an adequate offer in Europe or is valued at more than what was presented to him. And so he goes to Russia. I don’t agree with that, but on the other hand, it’s a player’s decision.

I understand that the union somehow stood up because the social pressure for players not to go to Russia is huge. I don’t know if it’s right, but personally I think it’s wrong to advertise abroad for the aggressor who started the war.

Everyone should realize that, just as I see the individual story of every player who somehow has to make a decision.