The Moravian regions are among those that the vice-president of the Football Association of the Czech Republic (FAČR) and the de facto ruler of domestic football, Roman Berbr, did not succeed in completely conquering. After Berbr ended up in custody due to a bribery case from the end of last week, a South Moravian organization launched an attack on the association’s leadership.
–
In an interview with Seznam Zprávy, the chairman of the executive committee of the South Moravian region, Vladimír Kristýn, called for a deeper cut into the structure of the association. In addition to Roman Berbr, he also calls for the resignation of the chairman of the Jury, Jozef Chovanec, who is not among the accused, but his name is mentioned by the police in the file. Kristýna suspects that the money that football receives from the state was also misused in the case.
–
How do you evaluate the arrest and indictment of a group of officials and referees led by the vice-president of the football association Roman Berbr?
–
We have nothing to hide. South Moravia defined itself against Roman Berbr a long time ago. I can say for myself that I have always been bothered by the arrogance and vulgarity of Mr. Berbr. After taking office, I refused to join the executive committee of the association – I said then that I would not enter the contaminated environment and I would not sit anywhere with any Berbr.
–
A similar opinion is shared by my colleagues in the South Moravian region. We have always followed the motto that we have our own head and reason, we refused to allow ourselves to be forced into the lessons of western Bohemia.
–
What do you think should happen now in the leadership of the football association?
–
The chairman must speak on Monday. There must clearly be an opinion.
–
Should Berbr, the vice-president of the association, who is now in remand prison, resign?
–
In each case. I respect the presumption of innocence, but it is incompatible that he be prosecuted and at the same time remain vice-chairman of the FACR.
–
Should an extraordinary general meeting be held and should a new Czech football leadership be elected?
–
This is a question for the future. It may be an option, but I don’t want it to be in a hurry. This process needs to be prepared and it is clear who the appropriate adepts for the executive committee are. But what should happen immediately is the dissolution of the jury for the Czech Chamber, as well as the dissolution of the large Jury chaired by Jozef Chovanec. He should gather bravery and resign himself.
–
Is it possible for Czech football to be cleansed after this case?
–
Certainly, cleansing must take place now! This could help some people in the Czech Chamber to make a decision and get involved if they were still afraid to publish their opinion. If they had been suppressed by a cohort of Berber devotees, now space was open to them.
–
We have almost three months ahead of us before the district general meetings begin. If the change is to have an effect, it must come from below. This can gradually result in changes in regional positions, the whole structure needs to be changed, it is a deep problem. We need bearers of new and pure ideas in football.
–
Information from the police investigation so far shows that an organized group of people bribed and influenced the matches. Were you surprised at how rotten the system is?
–
In Moravia, we did not know what was happening in Bohemia. Rather, only fragments always flew. We have always focused on our own region, we have tried to make everything happen regularly. I have always been very happy that the people who are now involved in the affair did not reach us.
–
As a lawyer, I was fascinated that the case mentioned the crime of embezzlement. I want to ask the chairman of the FACR about that, because it may be money from the football association, which it received as a subsidy from the state. This is especially alarming for me.
–
What do you say to the hundreds of thousands of bribes that the police said were behind the ‘clinking’ matches in the third league?
–
I have to say that the sums surprised me, it’s big money. I do not understand that someone is able to do this and that they will put such amounts into it. I consider it a complete devaluation of all football. The saddest thing is that people will not believe what they see on the field. The scope of the case is striking, and the people involved in the structure are influential officials working at regional levels, which is simply terrible.
—
