A case involving former FC Slovacko coach Petr Vlachovsky is being viewed as yet another sign of the wider safeguarding problems facing women’s football.
Vlachovsky, who coached women and girls at the Czech club for almost 15 years and was once voted the best women’s football coach in the Czech Republic, was arrested in connection with non-contact sexual abuse allegations that have had long-term effects on those involved.
The case has drawn renewed attention to the vulnerability of players and the failures that can allow abuse to continue unchecked for years. For Kristyna Janku, a defender who answered a call from a police officer not knowing what she would hear, the moment marked the point at which rumours and uncertainty gave way to a more serious and disturbing reality.
Janku had already heard gossip about her former coach, but like many others she was unsure what to believe. The arrest confirmed that the situation was more serious than the whispers circulating around the club.
The allegation is described as non-contact sexual abuse, but the impact has still been deeply damaging. Cases like this can affect athletes long after the original abuse, shaping their trust, their sense of safety, and their relationship with the sport itself.
In that sense, the Czech case is being seen as more than an isolated scandal. It has become part of a broader conversation about how women’s football deals with safeguarding, oversight and accountability, especially for girls and younger players.
Advocates hope the scale and visibility of the case could help push policy change. The concern is not only that abuse can happen, but that it can persist for years when warning signs are missed, ignored or not properly investigated.
FC Slovacko’s history in the case is significant because Vlachovsky spent nearly 15 years coaching there. That long tenure, combined with the respect he once received in Czech women’s football, is one reason the allegations have had such a strong impact across the sport.
For many following the case, the fear is familiar: that abuse in sport often remains hidden until much later, when the damage has already been done. The hope now is that this latest example will finally create pressure for stronger protections for women and girls, and for better systems to prevent similar situations in the future.
As the case continues to reverberate, it stands as another reminder that safeguarding is not a side issue in football. It is central to whether players can train, compete and develop in a safe environment.
