Věra Čáslavská, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Věra Čáslavská

Czechoslovak sports official, sport gymnast and coach

Date of Birth: 03-May-1942

Place of Birth: Prague, Czech Republic

Date of Death: 30-Aug-2016

Profession: artistic gymnast

Nationality: Czech Republic

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Vera Cáslavská (Czech pronunciation: ['vj?ra 't?a?slafska?]; 3 May 1942 – 30 August 2016) was a Czechoslovak artistic gymnast and Czech sports official.
She won a total of 22 international titles between 1959 and 1968 including seven Olympic gold medals, four world titles and eleven European championships.
Cáslavská is the most decorated Czech gymnast in history and is one of only two female gymnasts, along with Soviet Larisa Latynina, to win the all-around gold medal at two consecutive Olympics.In addition to her gymnastics success, Cáslavská was known for her outspoken support of the Czechoslovak democratization movement and her opposition to the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia.
At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, she took this protest to the world stage by quietly looking down and away while the Soviet national anthem was played during the medal ceremonies for the balance beam and floor exercise event finals.
While Cáslavská's actions were applauded by her compatriots, they resulted in her becoming a persona non grata in the new regime.
She was forced into retirement and for many years was denied the right to travel, work and attend sporting events. Cáslavská's situation improved in the 1980s after the intervention of members of the International Olympic Committee, and following the Velvet Revolution her status improved dramatically.
During the 1990s she held several positions of honor, including a term as president of the Czech Olympic Committee.