Viliam Tankó

Viliam Tankó (born 17 May 1995) is a Slovak boxer and politician. Since 2023 he has served as an MP of the National Council of Slovakia.

Biography Viliam Tankó was born on 17 May 1995 in the village of Tomášikovo, nearby the town of Galanta. He is of Romani ethnicity. Following the divorce of his parents, he was raised by an impoverished single mother, living together with his three siblings in a small cottage with broken windows and no running water. He started boxing as an eight-year-old. His talent was noticed by the boxers Ladislav Karacsóny and Tomáš Kovács, who took young Viliam under their wings and helped to him to become a boxer in Galanta.

After graduating from high school, Tankó enrolled at the Police Academy. Nonetheless, he later abandoned his studies to focus on his boxing career. He also competed at the 2019 European Games in Minsk and 2023 European Games in Kraków, finishing respectively unranked and ninth.

Political career In the 2023 Slovak parliamentary election Tankó won a seat in the parliament on the list of Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO) party.

While campaigning before the election, a bar in Spišská Nová Ves refused to serve Tankó, his pregnant partner and Romani OĽaNO MP Peter Pollák coffee because of their race. The racist conduct of the bar staff resulted in a widespread condemnation.

As na MP, Tankó faced criticism from his party, when he praised the creation of the new Sports and Tourism ministry, which his party opposed. Tankó received support from the former OĽaNO MP and tennis player Karol Kučera, who said its important to seek support for sport from all possible sources.

Personal life Tankó has been in a relationship with the 2023 Miss Universe pageant contestant Vanessa Gáborová since 2020. In July 2023 they announced they expected their first baby.