Czechoslovakia, or Czecho-Slovakia, was a sovereign state in Central Europe, created in October 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland became part of Germany, while the country lost further territories to Hungary and Poland. Between 1939 and 1945 the state ceased to exist, as Slovakia proclaimed its independence and subsequently the remaining territories in the east became part of Hungary, while in the remainder of the Czech Lands the German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was proclaimed. In October 1939, after the outbreak of World War II, former Czechoslovak President Edvard Beneš formed a government-in-exile and sought recognition from the Allies.
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European Championships, the precursor to the World Championships, were first held in 1910. The tournament held at the 1920 Summer Olympics is recognized as the first Ice Hockey World Championship. From 1920 to 1968, the Olympic hockey tournament was also considered the World Championship for that year.
The dissolution of Czechoslovakia took effect on December 31, 1992, and was the self-determined split of the federal republic of Czechoslovakia into the independent countries of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Both mirrored the Czech Socialist Republic and the Slovak Socialist Republic, which had been created in 1969 as the constituent states of the Czechoslovak Federal Republic.
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national football team of Czechoslovakia from 1920 to 1992. The team was controlled by the Czechoslovak Football Association, and the team qualified for eight World Cups and three European Championships. It had two runner-up finishes in World Cups, in 1934 and 1962, and won the European Championship in the 1976 tournament.
The Slovak Socialist Republic was from 1969 to 1990 a republic within the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, when previously unitary Czechoslovak state changed into a federation. The name was used from 1 January 1969 until 1990. The Slovak Republic was from 1990 to 1992 a republic within the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic, that is now the independent Slovakia.
The Czechoslovakia men's national ice hockey team was the national ice hockey team of Czechoslovakia, and competed from 1920 until 1992. The successor to the Bohemia national ice hockey team, which was a European power prior to World War I, the Czechoslovak national team first appeared at the 1920 Summer Olympics, two years after the creation of the state. In the 1940s, they established themselves as the best team in Europe, becoming the first team from the continent to win two World Championships. After the arrival of the Soviet Union on the international hockey scene in the 1950s, the Czechoslovaks regularly fought Sweden and Canada for silver and bronze medals, and sometimes beat the Soviets. In total, they won the gold medal six times.
The Beneš decrees were a series of laws drafted by the Czechoslovak government-in-exile in the absence of the Czechoslovak parliament during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in World War II. They were issued by President Edvard Beneš from 21 July 1940 to 27 October 1945 and retroactively ratified by the Interim National Assembly of Czechoslovakia on 6 March 1946.
Dušan Uhrin is a Czech and Slovak football coach and former player. He was the coach of Slovan Bratislava. Although he was born in the Nitra District in the Slovak part of Czechoslovakia, he has lived in Prague since the age of 16.
The Czech Republic women's national tennis team is the representative national team of the Czech Republic in Billie Jean King Cup competition. The Czech Republic team in its current incarnation began competing in 1993. It is seen as the primary successor to the Czechoslovak team, and not Slovakia, even though the Czechoslovak team included both Czech and Slovak players.
Various sports and sports teams have a long tradition in Bratislava, with many sport teams and individuals competing in the best Slovak and international leagues and competitions. Many significant sports events, such as World and European Championships, have been held in Bratislava. The 2011 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships were held in Bratislava, along with Košice. A new arena was built to host this event.
The 1993 Women's European Volleyball Championship was the 18th edition of the event, organised by Europe's governing volleyball body, the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball. It was hosted in Brno and Zlín, Czech Republic from 24 September to 2 October 1993.
Sports play a significant part in the life of many Czechs who are generally loyal supporters of their favourite teams or individuals.
The Czech Ice Hockey Association is the governing body of ice hockey in the Czech Republic.
The Czech Athletics Federation is the governing body for the sport of athletics in the Czech Republic. Its president since 2009 is Libor Varhaník.
Sportsperson of the Year was a prize awarded annually to the best athletes of Czechoslovakia from 1959 to 1992 by the Club of Czechoslovak Sports Journalists. The first winner was white-water canoer Vladimír Jirásek. From 1961 the prize was also given to the best sports team; the first team recipient was the Czechoslovakia national ice hockey team. Since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the prize has continued in both successor countries as the Sportsperson of the Year of the Czech Republic and the Sportsperson of the Year of Slovakia.
Policejní Volejbalový Klub Olymp Praha is a professional Czech women's volleyball club based in Prague and currently playing in the Czech Women's Volleyball Extraliga, the highest Czech league. During the Czechoslovakia era, the club was called Rudá Hvězda Praha and had its most successful period.
Anna Chmelková is a Slovak former track and field sprinter who competed for Czechoslovakia in the 400 metres. She was the first Slovak to win a European gold medal in athletics, doing so at the 1966 European Athletics Championships. She also represented Czechoslovakia at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.
The Czechoslovak Athletics Championships was an annual outdoor track and field competition organised by the Czechoslovakia Athletics Association, which served as the national championship for the sport in Czechoslovakia.
The Czechoslovak Indoor Athletics Championships was an annual indoor track and field competition organised by the Czechoslovak Athletics Federation, which served as the national championship for the sport in Czechoslovakia. Held over two days in February during the Czechoslovak winter, it was added to the national calendar in 1969 following the creation of a suitable indoor athletics venue in Jablonec nad Nisou. A Czech-only championship was held at the venue a year earlier.
The Czechoslovakian Men's Volleyball Championship was an annual competition for the men's volleyball teams in Czechoslovakia. It was held from 1924 to 1992. The most number of titles is in the account of the Praha team "Ruda Hvezda" with 10.
Czechoslovakia