Jiří Ponikelský

Jiří Ponikelský has long been involved in sports broadcasting; he began his career in the mid-1990s by developing television and marketing rights for team sports and their domestic competitions. He has collaborated with sports federations and prominent figures, participated in the organization of international championships, has worked at Czech Television since 2009, and has been managing ČT sport since 2010. A separate Sports Division was established in September 2025.

He graduated from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Czech Technical University (1987–1993) and expanded his education in the field of communication and marketing at the College of International and Public Relations (2002–2003).

As Executive Director of ČT sport, he focuses on strengthening the position of public broadcasting in securing key sports rights and on supporting sports projects for the general public. He strives to provide a wide range of programming, high-quality sports journalism, and long-term access to top-level competitions for Czech viewers.