Czech Prime Minister Meeting Successful Sportsmen

Today, on June 19, 2007, Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek of the Czech Republic received a group of successful Czech sportsmen in Prague’s Kramáø Villa. The invited guests included Kateřina Neumanová, Martina Sáblíková, Šárka Záhrobská, Jakub Janda and Tomáš Verner whom the Prime Minister presented with commemorative medals. During a working lunch they discussed the possibilities of financing sport in the Czech Republic. Premier Mirek Topolánek welcomed the opportunity to get acquainted with the views of the people immediately concerned with this topic, and to use the experience thus amassed.

While discussing the issue of financing sporting activities, cross-country skier Kateřina Neumanová said that the state should financially support young athletes until they achieve a level allowing them to secure their professional financial requirements by themselves. Petr Záhrobský, father of the downhill skier Šárka Záhrobská, said that an athlete’s family is able to cover financially the early days of his or her sporting career. On the issue of financing sporting careers of juniors he endorsed the view expressed by Kateřina Neumanová, namely that the state should give financial support to young athletes.The end of the discussion was devoted to the role of sporting unions and associations which, as the participants agreed, should create a broader base for Czech athletes.

Press Department of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic
tiskovy.odbor@vlada.cz