The Ivan Chodák Book

MUDr. Ivan Chodák (1914–1994) from Dolný Kubín was one of the most versatile and popular Slovak athletes in the 1930s and 1940s. He played both football and ice hockey at the highest level and also successfully competed in skiing and running. He spent the majority of his football career at ŠK Bratislava (1935–1946), where he served as captain and won four league titles. He also played ice hockey for ŠK Bratislava, where he was captain and won two titles. He played 11 matches for the Slovak national football team as captain. In 1938, he became the first league football player in Slovakia to hold a medical degree (MUDr.). After his playing career ended, he worked for decades as a youth coach and club doctor for Slovan. He was a model of fair play and gentlemanly conduct, never once being sent off or cautioned. The Slovak Football Association’s Fair Play Award is named in his honor.