Speech of the Prime Minister of the CR, Mirek Topolánek on the occasion of admission of the CSHA into membership of the ČSLH on December 4th 2006

Dear sport friends

I am only rarely so pleased to have opportunity to give a speech, as today. What you have managed evokes feelings in me, which cannot be described in other words, than: admiration. You confirm my old belief that success is first of all a matter of will, not only a matter of favourable conditions.

There are too many people who shortage of time and their busy lives use as an excuse. They have too many functions, they are too important. I am trying not to belong among such loafers and I say frankly that I am taking my hat off to you.

I am also taking my hat off to courageous decision of the Czech Ice Hockey Association (ČSLH), which admitted sledge hockey players as its equal partners. It became the first Czech sport organization, which fulfils request of the International Paralympic Committee to integrate disabled people among, up to now, healthy people, if I may make a joke.

I thank all, who participated in it, on the one hand the Czech Sledge Hockey Association, on the other hand the Czech Ice Hockey Association, particularly Mr. Vratislav Kulhánek and Roman Herinek.

I very appreciate that the solution for sledge hockey players has been found on the basis of civil society, when one organization landed a hand to the other one. It should be like this also in other cases, as solidarity should not be a matter of enforcement, it should be voluntary matter. However, it does not mean that the state is to get rid of responsibility for aid for handicapped people, responsibility for elimination of injustice of the fate.

Equality of chances. This is a slogan, which I maintain and which I want to promote as the prime minister, if I am allowed to perform this office. You deserve more, than to get a chance. You have got the chance after hard work. It is a good thing. But there is a range of other, less happy disabled sportsmen, who are only waiting for their chance. They also deserve their opportunity and the government will do its best to help them.

I do not want to bother you, as I think that we are here especially because of sports, not because of long speeches. I wish you success in this hard game, but not only in it.