• Athletics officials deny Sebrle, Dvorak took performance enhancing drugs in Helsinki
    08/12/2005

    Czech athletics officials have denied any wrongdoing after Roman Sebrle and Tomas Dvorak were investigated for receiving intravenous infusions during the decathlon at the World Athletics Championships in Helsinki. The Czech team's leader and doctor said the two had been given glucose, which is not a banned substance. Sebrle took silver in the decathlon, while Dvorak finished eighth.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Cechlova-Pospisilova wins first medal in major competition in Helsinki
    08/12/2005

    Meanwhile, Czech athlete Vera Cechlova-Pospisilova won her first ever medal in a major competition when she took bronze in the women's discus in Helsinki on Thursday. The last great Czech medal hope is Jaroslav Baba, who will be taking part in the final of the men's high jump on Sunday.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Police chief Kolar interested in diplomatic post in Slovakia
    08/11/2005

    Czech Police Chief Jiri Kolar, who will be leaving office next Monday, has expressed interest in a diplomatic post in Slovakia. Mr Kolar is considering taking up the post of liaison officer at the Czech Embassy in Bratislava, which opens as of January 1, 2006. Liaison officers only enjoy the diplomatic rank during their service abroad. They mainly act as mediators between the police forces of the Czech Republic and the country they are serving in, and coordinate joint operations to fight crimes such as drug trafficking, money laundering, corruption, terrorism, or organised crime. There are only three countries where the Czech Republic has liaison officers - Russia, Ukraine and Slovakia.

    Mr Kolar resigned as President of the Czech Police in June, after a multi-millionaire managed to escape custody.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Smaller parties agree to join forces and win local elections
    08/11/2005

    Six smaller centre-right parties have signed an agreement to cooperate and win the local elections in Prague next year. Their aim is to offer Prague voters what they call a "liberal alternative", and their commitment to a pro-European programme that supports lower taxes, the protection of the environment, education and the fight against corruption. The parties involved include the Freedom Union, Green Party, European Democrats, and the Civic Democratic Alliance.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Police arrest organised crime boss wanted for series of murders
    08/11/2005

    The Czech police say they have arrested a highly dangerous man, who has been hiding from the authorities in the Czech Republic. Refusing to disclose any other information, the spokesman for the Czech police revealed that the man is the head of an international organised crime group, who was sentenced to life for a number of murders.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • League of Gays and Lesbians collects signatures for same-sex partnership petition
    08/11/2005

    Some 1,200 people have signed a petition asking Parliament to pass a law permitting same-sex registered partnerships. Organised by the Czech League of Gays and Lesbians, it is the second attempt to influence deputies. Last year, the League forwarded Parliament a petition with 4,000 signatures. However, the law was not passed, missing only one vote. Lower house deputies are expected to hold another vote on the issue in the autumn, after their summer break.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Sebrle misses out on gold at World Athletics Championships in Helsinki
    08/11/2005

    Czech Olympic champion Roman Sebrle has missed out on a gold medal in the decathlon at the World Athletics Championships in Helsinki. Sebrle finished second behind his biggest rival, Bryan Clay of the USA, after some poor results on the second day of the competition. Fellow Czech and three-time world champion Tomas Dvorak finished in eighth place. Roman Sebrle's silver in the decathlon is the Czech Republic's first medal from Helsinki.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Slavia lose to Anderlecht but hold out hope for second leg
    08/11/2005

    Slavia Prague have been beaten 2:1 away by Belgium's Anderlecht in the first leg of the final qualifying round for football's Champions League. Slavia - whose only goal came from Karel Jarolim - performed well, and will be hopeful they can overcome Anderlecht in the second leg in Prague in two weeks' time. The Prague club have never reached the Champions League, the most prestigious club competition in world football.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Investigation of CzechTek incident underway
    08/10/2005

    An Interior Ministry inspection team has started interrogating the police officers who were recorded beating and kicking young people at the CzechTek music festival at the end of July. All four officers who are suspected of having broken regulations have been suspended, pending the outcome of the investigation which is expected to take several weeks. A parallel investigation is being conducted by the Ombudsman's Office. The government has been severely criticised for its handling of the open air techno party. Over a hundred people were injured on both sides after riot police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse a crowd of around 5,000 participants, on the grounds that they were trespassing on private property.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Man hits five, kills one, after breaking red light
    08/10/2005

    A man who drove through a red light and hit five people at a pedestrian crossing in the east Bohemian town of Pardubice on Tuesday was found to be driving without a license. He is being questioned by the police. The injuries inflicted were serious: an elderly woman died, while the other four pedestrians - including a three-year-old child - have been hospitalised. Minutes before the accident the man had been involved in a minor traffic collision - he was fleeing the scene when he broke the red light.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

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