Born in 1956. Bratislava. Bratislava University of Economics, 1977-1980 with a focus on foreign trade. Active in Slovak diaspora field. Member of the Slovak World Congress & Slovak Catholic Sokol. General Manager of the Slovak National Ice Hockey Team. Holder of several gold and silver medals and other prizes in the field of Ice Hockey. In August 1980, defected to Canada with family to pursue freedom and to play for the Quebec Nordiques in the NHL. Wrote best-selling autobiography “Hockey on Two Continents“, awarded Book of the Year in Slovakia, 1997. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, 1998 and IIHF Hall of Fame, 2000. Actively involved in the Slovak elections to support opposition SDK and to return the country back to democracy, 1998. Supported SDKU’s policy to accomplish long-term vision, Slovakia’s membership in NATO and the EU, 2002. Head of the Slovak delegation. MEP since 2004.