Red faces for Czech football as thief raids Anderlecht dressing room

Czech football suffered a major embarrassment on Wednesday when a thief broke into the locker rooms during a Champions League qualifying match between Slavia Praha and Belgium's Anderlecht. The thief made off with Anderlecht players' passports, cash and valuables estimated at more than 15,000 euros.

The theft happened at Prague's Strahov stadium, during a game between Slavia and Anderlecht, which Anderlecht won. According to reports in the Czech media, a man dressed in an Anderlecht tracksuit approached stewards near Anderlecht's dressing room, claiming to be delivering bottled water to players. The man somehow opened the door to the dressing room - according to one newspaper he had a key.

When players returned at the end of the second half they found passports, cash, jewellery and other items had been stolen. One player, Par Zetterberg, lost his Rolex watch, 1,500 euros in cash and even his insulin injections for diabetes. Not even Anderlecht's sole Czech player, goalkeeper Daniel Zitka, was spared. His passport and jewellery were stolen and the thief used his bag to make off with the loot. He was obviously disgusted. "I come back to the Czech Republic for the first time in years," he told the media, "and this happens. The cheek of it!"

This is obviously a highly embarrassing incident, and not just for Czech football. Slavia have apologised to Anderlecht, but the incident could have wider ramifications. Prague already has a rather dismal reputation as a haven for pickpockets and crooked taxi drivers who prey on tourists, but one would have thought top level footballers would be able to visit the Czech Republic without being relieved of their personal belongings. Tomio Okamura is a member of the Czech Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators.

"It is a very negative signal for the wealthiest clients, because they are very scared of pickpockets and so on. But these are exactly the clients we want to invite to the Czech Republic from now on."

If you have a message to those wealthy clients, potential tourists to this country, after the theft at Strahov, what is that message?

"I want to say - don't be worried, because we're all working to make the Czech Republic a safe destination. So don't be worried and come and enjoy the Czech Republic, without any problem."

Tomio Okamura, from the Czech Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators, hoping the robbery at Strahov won't put off potential tourists.