What is Sport in the Czech Republic?
[[File:Praha, Staré Město, Staroměstské náměstí, příjezd hokejové reprezentace.JPG|thumb|280px|Arrival of the ice hockey world champions at Old Town Square in [[Prague]] (2010)]] [[Sport]] is an important part of [[Czechs|Czech]] [[culture]]. It is a strong source of [[patriotism]]. The two most popular sports in the [[Czech Republic]] are [[Association football|football]] and [[ice hockey]]. They both get the most attention from both the media and the public. The many other sports with professional teams in the Czech Republic include [[basketball]], [[volleyball]], [[Team handball|handball]], [[Track and field athletics|athletics]], [[floorball]] and others. The sporting events considered the most important in the Czech Republic are the [[Ice Hockey World Championships]], the [[Ice hockey at the Olympic Games|Olympic ice hockey tournament]], the [[UEFA European Football Championship|European football championship]], and the football [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]]. In general, any international match involving the Czech national [[Czech national ice hockey team|ice hockey]] or [[Czech Republic national football team|football team]] draws attention, especially when played against a traditional [[rival]]: [[Germany]] and [[Slovakia]] in football; and [[Russia]], [[Finland]], [[Sweden]], [[Canada]] and Slovakia in ice hockey. == Team sports == === Ice hockey === [[File:O2 Arena, od Českomoravské.jpg|thumb|[[O2 Arena (Prague)|O2 Arena]] in Prague was built for the 2004 World Championships.]] The Czech national ice hockey team is one of the most successful teams in the world. It regularly competes in the [[Ice Hockey World Championships|World Championships]], the [[Ice hockey at the Olympic Games|Olympic Games]] and the [[Euro Hockey Tour]]. The national team won their first Olympic Gold medal at the [[1998 Winter Olympics|1998 Winter Games in Nagano]]. The Czech team won six World Championship medals between 1996 to 2011. The highest-ranking ice hockey competition in the Czech Republic is the [[Czech Extraliga|Extral