Rio de Janeiro, Aug 4 (by CTK’s special correspondent) – Czech President Milos Zeman was among the 14 presidents who visited the Olympic village in Rio de Janeiro to wish good luck to the athletes, coaches and their teams of assistants from their respective countries yesterday.
There are 54 Czech athletes in the Czech mission’s seat in Rio for the time being, but another strong group will arrive to join them on Friday morning.
Zeman visited the Olympic village together with his wife.
He toured the backstage of the Czech mission and met Czech Olympic Committee chairman Jiri Kejval, Czech Sports Union head Miroslav Jansta and Regional Minister Karla Slechtova.
The Czech minister for education, youth and physical training, Katerina Valachova, will arrive in Rio in a few days.
“You have already won by being here,” Zeman told Czech athletes,
He commented on the case of Martina Sablikova, a renowned Czech speed skater who has been training at an unknown place in Brazil and is waiting for the International Cycling Federation’s (UCI) decision on whether she can take part in the Olympic women’s road cycling contest.
“I believe that the decision will be positive. If not, the [Czech] cycling association is to blame as it failed to secure it [Sablikova’s participation],” Zeman said.
