Czech Minister Makes Sexist Remarks Toward Women's Hockey Players During World Championships, Czech Stars Respond

Czech sparked widespread backlash during the opening days of the 2026 IIHF women's World Championships. Speaking on Russian involvement in international competition, Macinka extended his comments to a sexist rant demeaning all women in sport while saying he believes ice hockey is, and should remain, a sport for men.

Macinka's comments were directed at teenage girls and women set to take the ice at the U-18 World Championships set to open January 8 in Ostrava, Czechia.

"I consider ice hockey to be a men's sport," Macinka said in a translated segment. "I probably won't please our great feminists if I say that this time they will have to survive the Czech championship without the participation of a team of Russian manly women."

The implication that all women who play hockey are "manly" and his statement that ice hockey is a man's sport came at a time while Czechia's national women's team was preparing to take on Switzerland at the 2026 IIHF women's World Championships in Denmark.

The term Macinka used has also been translated to "masculine" and "mannish."

Macinka's comments were met with immediate condemnation from across the sporting world, including from members of Czechia's national hockey teams, on the men's and women's side.

"It's 2026 and we still have to listen to remarks like these? Women who train hard, represent their country and achieve extraordinary results deserve respect," Team Czechia and Minnesota Frost forward Klara Hymlarova wrote on X. "Not sexist insults from a politician who apparently confuses public office with a space for his own insecurities. This is pathetic."

“It’s not nice to hear that from someone in politics. We represent Czechia, it’s an honor for us, and we play with heart," said Czech national team and New York Sirens forward Kristyna Kaltounkova. "We fight for our country, and we’d like that support to be reciprocated. Do I find it shameful? I do. It upsets me because we give so much to hockey and to this country. I love Czechia, so it hurts all the more.”

“Mr. Macinka probably hasn’t seen how much hard work goes into women’s sport. But that’s exactly what keeps us together. It’s sad coming from him, but it motivates us even more. To show that we represent our country with pride and that it’s an honor for us," said Czechia captain and Seattle Torrent defender Aneta Tejralova.

While the women's team responded with justifiable disappointment, they weren't alone in the outrage directed at Macinka's blatantly misogynistic assertions.

A number of NHL players including Lukáš Dostál, Martin Nečas and Adam Klapka immediately spoke out against Macinka, as did several other notable Czech men's hockey players admonishing the sexist comments made.

Czech Director of Women's Hockey, and senior national team assistant coach Ivo Mocek also weighed in standing in defence of the girls and women playing hockey representing the nation.

“Only someone with an inferiority complex who knows nothing about hockey, especially women’s hockey, could use a term like that," Mocek said in a translated comment. "I’m shocked that a government representative would use such language in 2026. Over the past five years, the junior and women’s teams have brought home five medals from world championships and have represented Czechia brilliantly. Far better than someone who talks like this. I wish everyone could see how much effort all the players put into hockey. They don’t deserve to have their performances belittled with language like that.”

Macinka has faced backlash before for transphobic and sexist comments