Former Czech coach fined

Former Czech Republic hockey coach Vladimir Ruzicka has been convicted of fraud and fined more than US$ 15,000. The Prague 10 district court ordered Ruzicka to pay a fine or face a 16- month prison term. Ruzi cka, pictured, accepted 500,000 koruna ($ 20,750) from a father who said he paid him to let his son play when he was in charge of Slavia Prague. He denied wrongdoing, saying he considered the money sponsorship and later returned it. Ruzicka still can appeal. Ruzicka resigned from the national team last year following similar allegations by other parents. In his playing career, Ruzicka captained the Czech Republic to gold at the 1998 Olympics and played for Edmonton, Boston and Ottawa in the NHL.