LN: Chechen Kadyrov using Czech Republic for racing horses

Prague, Sept 9 (CTK) - President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov has used Czech hospitality and stabled eight of his racing horses in Mimon, north Bohemia, reporter Petra Prochazkova writes in the latest weekend edition of daily Lidove noviny (LN).

The man who cannot cross the border of many countries is responsible for the biggest Czech success of the horse racing season in Germany, Prochazkova writes.

At present, he has eight horses in north Bohemia and Kadyrov's stable was registered by the Czech Republic's Jockey Club, Prochazkova writes.

Kadyrov is not only famous as an enthusiast for horses and cars, but also as a man who has come under the suspicion of murder, she adds.

Many human rights organisations have accused him of murder, kidnapping and killing of his opponents, Prochazkova writes.

"I do not think this is good publicity for Czech horse racing," the owner of a horse racing stable is quoted as saying.

Due to Kadyrov's reputation, his stable was banned in the USA and he recently caused a scandal in Australia when one of his horses took part in a famous horse race.

The Ramzan Kadyrov stable has only been registered by three countries in Europe, Prochazkova writes.

This was done by Britain in 2008 and last week by Germany, but Mimon became the biggest horse base for Kadyrov in May, she adds.

Thanks to Kadyrov's excellent horse, the Czech national anthem could be heard at one of the most prestigious horse races in Baden-Baden in August, Prochazkova writes.

Under the "Czech flag," Mikhail Glinka won a 2,000-metre race, she adds.

In fact, nothing is Czech in Mikhail Glinka as the jockey was Italian Marco Demuro, it is trained by Nogai man Arslangirey Shavuyev and owned by Kadyrov, Prochazkova writes.

Thanks to a symbiosis of the talent, wealth and professional approach, excellent horses are running under the Czech flag that can make the Czech Republic famous abroad, she adds.

Shavuyev said he had never met Kadyrov personally.

"I have not spoken to him even by phone. Everything relating to horses is settled by his manager," Shavuyev said.

Michal Pokorny, secretary of Czech Republic's Jockey Club, said there was no problem in the registration of Kadyrov's stable.

"There are no limitations here that could prevent the registration of his stable," Pokorny said.

He said the Jockey Club had no advantages from Kadyrov's presence.

Kadyrov seems to be ready to use the Czech Republic as a base for an expansion further to the West where much more money can be gained and the success yields much more prestige, she adds.

Mikhail Glinka cost some two million euros to Kadyrov, Prochazkova writes.

There is the question of where does the money for such an expensive entertainment come from, she writes.

"Allah gives. I do not know myself how is it possible, where the money comes from," she quotes Kadyrov himself as saying.

Prochazkova writes that Kadyrov owes his fabulous health to generous subsidies from Moscow.

For this, he has rewarded Russian leader Vladimir Putin by ensuring 100 percent of votes in Chechnya for his candidatures, she adds.

Prochazkova is one of the most outstanding Czech investigative journalists.

She mainly covered the Chechen-Russian wars in the 1990s. As she was quite critical of the Russian regime, she was declared a persona non grata in Russia.

She received the Medal for Merit for her work from former Czech president Vaclav Havel in 2000.