PRAGUE — Defensive midfielder Michal Sadílek was named to the Czech Republic squad for the European Championship on Thursday after UEFA upheld a 10-game ban for defender Ondřej Kúdela for racially abusing an opponent.
Czech Republic coach Jaroslav Šilhavý announced a list of 25 players on Tuesday, one less than the number allowed by UEFA. The final place was meant for Kúdela, who was appealing his ban.
But the governing body of European soccer dismissed that appeal on Wednesday, having previously found the Slavia Prague defender guilty of shouting a racial slur at Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara during a Europa League game in Glasgow in March.
The ruling means Kúdela will be suspended for 10 games in UEFA competitions, including for club and country.
The 21-year-old Sadílek has yet to play a game for the national team. He spent last season on loan from PSV Eindhoven at Czech provincial club Liberec. He played for his country at the under-21 European Championship earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Kúdela announced on Thursday he will challenge the ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The appeal, however, won’t be completed in time for him to play in next month’s tournament.
The Czechs will take on Scotland in Glasgow in their Group D opener on June 14.
“I’m sorry to miss the Euro but I want to clear my name,” Kúdela said. “So, the fight goes on.”
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Tomáš Vaclík (Sevilla), Jiří Pavlenka (Werder Bremen), Aleš Mandous (Olomouc)
Defenders: Jan Bořil (Slavia Prague), Jakub Brabec (Viktoria Plzeň), Vladimír Coufal (West Ham), Ondřej Čelůstka (Sparta Prague), Pavel Kadeřábek (Hoffenheim), Tomáš Kalas (Bristol City), Aleš Matějů (Brescia), David Zima (Slavia Prague)
Midfielders: Antonín Barák (Hellas Verona), Vladimír Darida (Hertha Berlin), Adam Hložek (Sparta Prague), Tomáš Holeš (Slavia Prague), Jakub Jankto (Sampdoria), Alex Král (Spartak Moscow), Lukáš Masopust (Slavia Prague), Jakub Pešek (Slovan Liberec), Tomáš Souček (West Ham), Petr Ševčík (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadílek (PSV Eindhoven)
Forwards: Michael Krmenčík (Club Brugge), Tomáš Pekhart (Legia Warsaw), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen), Matěj Vydra (Burnley)
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