Sports News

Several football clubs are said to have expressed an interest in picking-up Liverpool striker Vladimir Smicer; delegates in the Czech-Moravian Football Association have once again failed to elect a new chairman; the Czech men's handball team ekes out a 1-goal win against Portugal; ice hockey's Jaromir Jagr is set to return to Russia's Omsk.

Football: Smicer set for Bordeaux?

32-year-old Czech international Vladimir Smicer, a fresh winner of this year's Champions League with Liverpool, has been given word he can leave Anfield in search of a new contract. So far, the striker, who enjoys something of a reputation for scoring in the clutch with the Czech national squad, has been eyed by English Premiership teams Charlton and Birmingham, as well as the French team Lens. However, Liverpool's website has written that if Smicer passes a medical this week he will sign a two-year contract with Bordeaux. The Czech striker was also recently offered an opportunity to play for Sparta Prague, an offer he turned down. In this year's Champions League final in Istanbul Smicer scored twice to complete a miracle turn-around for the team against AC Milan.

Czech football federation fails to elect new chairman - again

Vlastimil Kostal, photo: CTK

Delegates in the Czech-Moravian Football Association have once again failed to elect a new chairman, following an extraordinary general meeting at the weekend. The two men running for the post, Vlastimil Kostal and Ivan Hasek, split votes along Bohemian and Moravian lines, leaving an undecided result. Ivan Hasek, a former Sparta Prague coach, has promised to fight corruption within the league and challenged Mr Kostal's approach as "business at the expense of football", a charge his opponent has rejected. Meanwhile, the league's executive committee's mandate has been extended until September, when the league will try to choose its chairman for a 3rd time.

Handball: Czech handball squad wins first match in European Championship qualifier

Czech Republic - Portugal, photo: CTK

The Czech men's handball team might have expected to win by a wider margin, in the end players were able to eke out a nervy 1-goal win against Portugal. That was in their first European Championship qualifier. Despite leading by 8 points in the first half they suffered a melt-down in the 2nd: Portugal charging back, scoring 7 in a row. The Czechs managed to hang on for the 28:27 win but looked shaken. The two squads meet again on Sunday in Portugal, deciding which team continues in the tournament.

Ice Hockey

Jaromir Jagr, photo: CTK

Negotiations between teams and players in the NHL have suggested a glimmer of hope for ice hockey to resume next season, but until a deal is completed star forward Jaromir Jagr of the New York Rangers will prepare to return to Omsk, in Russia, where he played last season. Jagr also saw sports action at the weekend, though it wasn't hockey, as you might expect, but charity soccer. The player's well-known Jagr-team took the field although the captain himself didn't last for long: coming off after twenty minutes after slightly pulling a leg muscle.

Speaking of injuries: Jagr's pinky, broken at this year's World Ice Hockey Championship in Vienna, has yet to see the light of day, set to remain in a cast for another five weeks.