Foreign Minister Macinka to discuss Russian players’ participation in women’s ice hockey championship

Foreign Minister Petr Macinka will meet Czech ice hockey officials next week to discuss the possible participation of Russian players in the women’s under-18 World Championship in Ostrava in January. He announced this on Sunday on CNN Prima News, saying he could not imagine Russian players competing in Czechia. The government is considering how to deal with those arriving from other Schengen countries.

Macinka also drew criticism for calling ice hockey a men’s sport and making a derogatory remark about Russian female players.

Czech ice hockey chief Alois Hadamczik says the association needs government support to avoid sanctions if Czech teams refuse to play against Russia.