Press Releases

15. 7. 200817:20

July 15: Premier To Support Czech Olympians; But He Still Rejects Chinese Invitation to the Games Opening

Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek will support the Czech athletes at the Summer Olympic Games 2008 in Peking. He announced this at today’s press conference, adding that he has accepted an invitation of the Czech Olympic Committee. But he is still refusing an invitation from China to attend the opening of the Games. 

“In response to the events in Tibet I have refused to go and cancelled my journey to the opening of the Olympic Games in China, and I still insist on that. I have not backed down from my decision,“ the Premier told the press conference. The Prime Minister has now received a request from the Czech Olympic Committee to support the Czech athletes at the Games with his own participation. “I think that the athletes who train for five years to take part in this top sporting event deserve that their Premier should support them abroad, and that is why I have accepted that invitation,“ said Mirek Topolánek who will go to China on August 13 and return on August 18. 

“I am very glad the Premier has accepted our invitation to attend the Olympic Games. I wanted him to support the Czech Olympic team, there is nothing else behind it. I believe that the Czech athletes deserve to have their high-ranking officials come and cheer them up,“ Jan Železný, member of the commission of athletes of the International Olympic Committee, told the press conference.The Prime Minister also stressed that he would not be flying in the government aircraft but on a regular flight and that all his costs are covered by the Olympic Committee. “My son will be flying with me and I´ll cover all his expenses myself,“ concluded the Premier. 

Jana Bartošová, press spokesperson of the Government of the Czech Republic