Former Ice-hockey Player Hascak Named Adviser to Tourism and Sport Minister

Bratislava, 28 January (TASR) – Former Slovak ice-hockey player Marcel Hascak has become an adviser to Tourism and Sport Minister Rudolf Huliak, the two of them announced jointly at a news conference held at the ministry on Wednesday. The silver medalist from the 2012 World Championship and the newly appointed ministerial proxy for athletes' rights said that he wants, for instance, to lay the foundations for a nationwide players' association for athletes. Hascak is currently a member of Poprad city council and is active on social media. He comments on developments in Slovak ice-hockey as well as on sports policy at the municipal level. "I'm very pleased that a successful national team ice-hockey player, Marcel Hascak, is joining our team today," said Minister Huliak at the news conference. "He'll serve as the minister's proxy for athletes' rights and for support of sport and youth – something like an ombudsman for sportsmen and women. Practice shows that we have significant shortcomings in these areas. Marcel Hascak will be tasked with setting up and leading a working group so that relevant athletes from individual sports and from practice are seated at the table. We'll define the areas for the working group to address and pass these issues directly to the ministry's leadership. One of the tasks will be to operate primarily in the regions, collect input and come up with proposals on how to improve the protection of athletes and support for sport, especially among youth." mf/df