slavia Prague Players โBoycott Match in Protestโ of 1989 crackdown
Prague, Czech Republic – November 17, 1989 – In a stunning display of solidarity, the playersโข of Slavia Prague and their opponents, Rudรก Hvฤzda Cheb (Red Star Cheb), took the unprecedented step of refusing to โplay a scheduled match today, november 17th, in โขdirect โresponse to the violent suppression of a peaceful student presentation in Prague. The decision, initiatedโฃ not by football officials but by the players themselves, marked a powerful moment of protest โขagainst the Communist regime.
The planned First โขLeagueโ fixture was cancelled after both teams, along with the referees, entered the playingโ area and jointly announced their refusal to compete. This act of defiance occurred on the anniversary of the International Students’ day, which โฃhad become a focal point for growingโฃ dissent withinโฃ Czechoslovakia. The players’ protest underscored the widespread outrage over the brutal crackdown โฃon demonstrators atโฃ Nรกrodnรญ tลรญda (National avenue) earlier in the day, an event that ignited the Velvet Revolution and ultimately led toโค the fall of communism in the country.
Rather of a match,a statementโฃ was delivered to theโค assembled โคcrowd. Slavia captain Pavel ลehรกk addressed the spectators, explaining,โข “Dear spectators, don’t be angry, today’s match will not be played due to the situation in the Republic and the intervention on November 17 at Nรกrodnรญ tลidaโฆ” The audience responded with applause,โค demonstrating support for the players’ courageous stance.
Theโฃ decisionโ was spearheaded by the Friendsโ Departmentโข ofโ the local โฃbranch in Bฤla pod Bezdฤzem, led by Miroslav Dlouhรฝ, who collaborated withโ players from both teams to formulate a unified position: there would be no game. Captains ลehรกk of Slavia and Jaroslav ล ilhavรฝ of Rudรก Hvฤzda (who would soon transfer to Slavia) formally signed minutes documenting the protest.
Several players from both sides, including Zdenฤkโ Jรกnoลก, Milan ล imลฏnek, Ludฤk Klusรกฤek, and Frantiลกek Veselรฝ Jr. from Slavia, and Alexander Vencel, Horst siegl, and Marcel Litoลก from Red Star, subsequently gave interviews to the โmedia on the field.The match was officially “whistled” after the customary waitingโ period, with both teams submitting โa request for a future date.
The rescheduled match was ultimately played on December 16th, with โSlavia โPrague winning 1-0. However, โthe events ofโ November 17th remainโ a powerful symbol of theโ role athletes played in the broader struggle forโ freedom โขand โขdemocracy in Czechoslovakia.