“Politics and sports should not be connected, but we do not live in an ideal world,” says former kayaker Vavřinec Hradilek. Although he retired this year and is not going to the next Olympics, he reproaches the International Olympic Committee that he could have been more active in terms of aggression in Ukraine and attitudes towards athletes from Russia and Belarus. What should it look like? And what did life on wild water give Hradilk?
You can watch the entire interview in the introductory video or listen to it in your favorite podcast app. What were its main themes?
00:08-03:59 How do people address a kayaker with an unusual name? Does he have more respect from a kayak or from a Cessna? And what is more adrenaline for him? How was his last whitewater race on the Troy Canal?
03:59-07:48 Does Hradilek believe in miracles after his brother’s serious accident? Was he afraid to return to the water afterwards? And will he turn his own children on her?
07:48-09:50 What is the most demanding and most painful thing about water slalom? How did he cope with being one hundredth of a second away from winning the Olympics?
09:50-13:17 Is there anything that Hradilek, active even outside of sports, would never do? How many times has he asked his wife to dance since his participation in StarDance? And what do you think about doping in sports – should it be allowed?
13:17-16:51 How does Hradilek view mixing politics and sports? What do you think about the International Olympic Committee’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in Paris under a neutral flag? Would he go to the Olympics himself in that case?
16:51-20:54 Is Hradilka an active politician, has he received any offers yet? How does he feel about today’s politics and the government of Petr Fiala? What makes the hair on his body stand on end in Czech politics? And are Czechs politically active enough?
20:54-28:14 How many times has he heard that he should stick to the paddle and not comment on politics? How do sponsors perceive his support for Ukraine? Has anyone threatened him in this connection? And what does he plan to do now after finishing his career?
