Novák, under whose guidance seven-time Olympic medalist Martina Sáblíková has been preparing her entire career, faces suspicions that the Czech Republic billed inflated costs for the concentration of athletes in the Italian Collalbo in 2019 and 2020.
Union secretary Jindřich Pařík confirmed the execution of the police action to the website without further information. However, he did not specify what evidence the police were looking for. “I will not comment on that,” Pařík said.
Information about the dispute between Czechoslovakia, Steklé and Novák appeared already last December, but with regard to the Olympic Games in Beijing in February and the preparation of Sáblíková, the speed skating union decided that the implementation team of the national team would not change until the end of the season, and after the end of the season the situation would be resolved by the general meeting union. It did take place, but in the end, due to the police investigation, the dispute was not dealt with.
Novák commented on the case only in an official statement, in which he admitted that it is possible that he did not always follow administrative manuals. “Which I admitted several times within the union. However, I always acted exclusively for the benefit of all competitors, regardless of age and performance, for the benefit of speed skating as a whole,” stated Novák.
He stated that the budget of the training camp was always conceived in such a way that all services, including accommodation and food, were provided for representatives and younger speed skaters.
