Alexandra Rexová: Slovakia’s Paralympic Star and the Fight for Fair Funding
Alexandra Rexová, a 20-year-vintage Slovak visually impaired para alpine skier, has emerged as a leading figure in Paralympic sports, securing multiple medals at the 2022 and 2026 Winter Paralympics. But, her success story is intertwined with a broader narrative of challenges within Slovak parasports, including funding disparities and systemic issues that threaten the development of future talent.
Paralympic Successes and Recent Achievements
Rexová represented Slovakia at the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing, where she won a gold medal in the super-G and a bronze medal in the slalom. Alexandra Rexová continued her impressive form at the 2026 Milano Cortina Paralympics, adding bronze medals in downhill, super-G, and slalom. Official profile of Paralympic athlete Alexandra REXOVA
Beyond the Paralympics, Rexová has consistently achieved top results in World Cup races and World Championships. This consistent performance has highlighted the need for sustained support and investment in her training and development.
The “Rexa Team” and Challenges with National Support
Rexová’s success is largely attributed to the creation of the private “Rexa Team,” founded after concerns regarding the support provided by the Slovak Paralympic Committee (SPV) and the Slovak Skiing Association (ZSL). The team was formed when her previous coach left, and Rexová and her team felt unsupported by the national structure.
According to Lenka Rexová, co-founder of the Rexa Team, approaching the SPV and ZSL revealed issues within the national team structure. “We did not identify with what was happening there within the team,” she stated. The team ultimately decided to forge its own path to demonstrate that professional sports could be conducted differently.
Funding Disparities and Concerns for the Future
A significant concern raised by Rexová’s coach, Marek Garaj, is the unequal distribution of funding within Slovak parasports. Garaj revealed that the Rexa Team received only 2.7 percent of the total parasports budget in 2024 and 1.3 percent in 2025. The Slovakian, the emu and the three bronze Paralympic medals
He pointed out that Miroslav Haraus, another para alpine skier, received no funding from this package, which he found surprising. Garaj expressed concern that funding was disproportionately allocated to athletes with limited international results, while Rexová’s team, consistently achieving podium finishes, received comparatively little support.
“Basically, all money is spent on someone,” Garaj stated, emphasizing the need for greater transparency and accountability in funding allocation. He also highlighted the lack of investment in youth development, questioning where the funds allocated for youth programs were being directed.
Selection Issues and Calls for Systemic Change
Garaj also criticized the selection process for the 2026 Paralympics, noting that only three para alpine skiers initially had a place, despite a total of five competing in Cortina. He called for a more robust and transparent selection system to ensure that athletes are adequately prepared and selected based on merit.
Rexová echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need for a sustainable system that will nurture future talent. “We need to sit down and create a system that will work and there will be someone who will represent me after me and follow up on my achievements,” she said.
A Mascot Mystery
In a lighthearted turn of events leading up to her Paralympic success, Rexová and her guides, Matis Duris and Sophia Polak, temporarily “stole” Bruce, the Australian Paralympic mascot, a life-size brass emu, from the Australian base in Cortina. They left a ransom note, stating their respect for the tradition of mascot stealing and promising Bruce’s safe return. The Slovakian, the emu and the three bronze Paralympic medals
Looking Ahead
Alexandra Rexová’s achievements serve as an inspiration, but her story also underscores the critical need for systemic change within Slovak parasports. Addressing funding disparities, improving selection processes, and investing in youth development are essential steps to ensure that Slovakia continues to produce world-class Paralympic athletes and maintains its position on the global stage.