Petr Vlachovsky handed lifetime ban by UEFA over secret filming of players
UEFA issues lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky for all football-related activity after investigation into secret recordings of female players and related criminal findings.
The European governing body UEFA has imposed a lifetime ban on former Czech coach Petr Vlachovsky, ruling he is prohibited from participating in any football-related activity after an ethics investigation and disciplinary ruling. (disciplinary.uefa.com)
Decision by UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body
UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) announced the sanction on 19 May 2026, following a probe by an appointed Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector.
The CEDB found that Vlachovsky breached regulations concerning insulting or indecent behaviour and conduct that brings the game into disrepute, and it ordered an immediate and permanent ban within UEFA’s jurisdiction. (disciplinary.uefa.com)
Request to make ban global and revoke licence
Alongside the punishment, UEFA has asked FIFA to recognise and extend the lifetime suspension worldwide and instructed the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Vlachovsky’s coaching licence.
UEFA’s move is intended to prevent the coach from seeking work in other national or confederation jurisdictions and to close avenues for future involvement in the sport. (disciplinary.uefa.com)
Criminal conviction and domestic penalties
Vlachovsky was convicted in May 2025 by a Czech court, which handed him a one-year suspended prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban after determining he had secretly filmed players.
The criminal ruling followed an investigation of footage discovered online and administrative pressure from players’ groups seeking stronger sanctions within football governance. (bbc.co.uk)
Details of the secret recordings and evidence
Police and court documents indicate the coach recorded 14 players over a period of roughly four years, using a concealed device reportedly hidden in a backpack.
Reports say the youngest player filmed was 17, and authorities found material that included depictions of sexual abuse of minors among the evidence seized during the probe. (as.com)
Players’ unions and FIFPRO welcome the decision
FIFPRO and the Czech players’ union publicly praised UEFA’s lifetime ban and urged FIFA and national federations to adopt equivalent measures against sexual offenders in the sport.
FIFPRO’s statement commended the courage of the players who came forward and welcomed UEFA’s request that the ban be made global and that the Czech federation revoke Vlachovsky’s licence. (fifpro.org)
Safeguarding questions and wider implications for women’s football
The case has intensified scrutiny on safeguarding practices in women’s football, with advocates saying the scale of the recordings and the leniency of initial domestic punishment exposed gaps in protection for players.
Experts and unions have called for clearer reporting mechanisms, mandatory safeguarding education for staff, and stronger coordination between criminal justice processes and football disciplinary systems to prevent similar abuses. (fifpro.org)
UEFA’s lifetime ban removes Petr Vlachovsky permanently from the confederation’s competitions and activities and signals increased willingness among football authorities to escalate sanctions for breaches of ethical and safeguarding standards.
