Viktoria Lucenkova Hits Back At ‘Foreign Player’ Allegations: ‘I’ve Lived In Malta For 12 Years’
Malta’s table-tennis national coach and team captain Viktoria Lucenkova has strongly rejected allegations put forward on social media by a Maltese coach who claimed that Malta is not her home soil, but Slovakia is.
He went on to claim that she has not been elected National Coach yet and that as a professional player her motivation is monetary reward rather than the love of the nation.
Lucenkova hit back with a number of allegations against Pace and rebutted the accusations:
“Since there’s a discussion about me without me, I would like to clarify some things. David Pace is spreading some very wrong and untruthful information.”
The table tennis player then claimed a number of incidents involving Pace, from “threatening” her to deleting her comments online.
Denying the information being “spread” by Pace, she alleged that police reports had been filed against Pace by several organisations, suggesting that his credibility might be in question.
The table tennis player further alleged that Pace had threatened her and compromised her safety. She claimed that he had deleted her comments on his assumptions and accusations, blocking her from defending herself.
Lucenkova also pointed out that Pace had deleted comments from others who had tried to argue with him, painting a picture of an individual unwilling to engage in a fair and open discussion.
She clarified that she had been living in Malta for at least 12 years and considered it her home.
She stated that she had been appointed by the MTTA to lead the national team until the next MTTA elections, a fact that Pace seemed to be unaware of.
Lucenkova also highlighted her professionalism as a table tennis player, emphasising that being professional did not automatically entail the motivations or rewards that Pace had alluded to.
Another accusation Lucenkova made was that Pace did not seem to care about his own daughter’s involvement in the national team.
She claimed that he had not shown any interest in the matter, despite his daughter being part of the team’s long list and participating in their training sessions.
Lucenkova also questioned Pace’s double standards, mentioning that he did not object to her playing for Malta and winning medals when his daughter had won just a single match on her own.
“You didn’t mind me playing for Malta with your daughter and winning medals, without that she won one single match on her own.”
“And if I ever vanish from the Maltese table tennis world it is only because of people with opinions like yours.”
Her comments were made under a Lovin Malta article reporting what Coach David Pace had alleged
Furthermore, Lucenkova said Pace was the one to initially offer foreign players who might be interested in joining the national team. This indicated that there may be underlying motivations or contradictions on Pace’s part, suggesting a lack of consistency in his actions.
“Wasn’t it you who was the first one offering some foreign players who would be interested?”
Lucenkova’s response to the allegations against her provides an alternative perspective on the ongoing controversy. It is evident that tensions between Lucenkova and David Pace have escalated, with both parties making serious accusations against each other.
As the situation continues to unfold, it is important for stakeholders in Maltese table tennis to carefully assess the claims made by both sides and seek a fair resolution.
Additionally, the involvement of the police, as threatened by Lucenkova, could potentially shed more light on the matter. As the story develops, it is crucial to prioritise fair play, transparency, and respect within the table tennis community.
The Sports Ministry has distanced itself from the process of selection for athletes.
What do you make of this escalation?
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