The Czech women's ice hockey team on Tuesday condemned derogatory remarks about women's hockey earlier in the week from their country's foreign minister, Petr Macinka.
Macinka said he considered hockey a men's sport during a television debate on Sunday about the possible entry of a Russia team at the under-18 women's worlds in the Czech Republic in January.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport recently ruled that Russia must be allowed to return to ice hockey's international tournaments, overturning an exclusion in place since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Macinka said he couldn't imagine the Russian anthem being played in the Czech Republic and added "our great feminists" would be disappointed when the tournament was without "Russia's mannish women."
Forward Kristýna Kaltounková, the No. 1 pick in last year's PWHL draft, said she didn't agree with Russia playing in international competitions but said "women have the same right to play hockey as men."
"It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from or what you look like, sport is for everyone," she said.
Macinka apologized for his remarks after athletes, including Czech NHL players and politicians, denounced his comments.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.