“The Polish Olympic Committee is not responsible for the results of the Games,” said Polish Olympic Committee President Radosław Piesiewicz. In Paris, Polish athletes won 10 medals, their worst performance in 68 years. The only gold was won by Aleksandra Mirosław in sport climbing.
According to Radio ZET, Radosław Piesiewicz and his family used the VIP area at Warsaw Chopin Airport 35 times and were taken to the plane by limousine.
Something bad happened. My wife was attacked on the street because she was supposed to fly for public money. I wanted to prove that this is not the case. It concerns a transfer to the Polish Olympic Committee from April 2024
– Piesiewicz said in the program “Fakty po Faktach” on TVN24.
Piesiewicz has come under heavy criticism in recent days and is accused of misconduct, including embezzlement of public funds.
With the previous management of Polish airports we agreed on a quick transition procedure for our athletes. Some of them flew with President Andrzej Duda. $90,000 was transferred from my wife’s account for my and my family’s flights. I want to end this topic once and for all
– he argued.
Piesiewicz: For whose money did Nitras and his entourage fly to the Olympic Games?
He is accused of having worse conditions for athletes than POC activists. The Minister of Sport, Sławomir Nitras, spoke negatively about Piesiewicz and demands an explanation of what the public money transferred to the Polish Olympic Committee was spent on.
I pay for my own business and my family. I fly alone, and Minister Nitras and his entire entourage who were at the Olympic Games in Paris flew with his own money or with ours from the state budget?
– Asked Piesiewicz.
I act in accordance with the law. Guests are always invited to the Olympic Games. No person or member of the Board of the Polish Olympic Committee is deprived of the state budget
– he added.
In 2021, Polish athletes won 14 medals at the Tokyo Games, including four gold. As many as nine of them were won by athletes who won only one medal in the French capital. Natalia Kaczmarek came third in the 400 meters.
I believe that the medal results – unfortunately – are what they are. This has been the state of Polish sport for years. There were 14 medals in Tokyo, but at the previous Olympics we had about 10
– he remembered.
Piesiewicz took part in photo sessions with leading Polish athletes before the Games. Later, he was visible on billboards with tennis player Iga Świątek, sprinter Ewa Swoboda and volleyball player Magdalena Stysiak, which aroused the amazement and pity of the fans.
I work hard every day for the Polish Olympic Committee. I do everything to ensure that Polish athletes have complete comfort. I was asked to take part in such a session and I did it with great pleasure
– he declared.
The president of the Polish Olympic Committee believes he is not responsible for the modest medal performance of the Polish national team in Paris.
We know that failure is an orphan. We must ask ourselves who is responsible for Polish sport. The Polish Olympic Committee has no influence on the preparation and sports results
– he replied.
Minister Nitras claims that the Ministry and the State Finance Department transferred PLN 92 million of public money to the Polish Olympic Committee in the period 2022-2024.
We do not receive money as a donation, but as sponsorship. Every quarter or half year we report on the execution of the work. We also donate part of the money directly to Polish sports clubs
– explained Piesiewicz, who is also the president of the Polish Basketball Federation.
During an interview on TVN24, he began to accuse Minister Nitras.
On March 14, the Polish Cukier National Food Group “entered” Pogoń Szczecin. This is no coincidence, because Sławomir Nitras is a member of parliament there. Seven days later, sugar prices fell and the National Food Group terminated its contracts with the Polish Basketball Federation. Today we received a letter of resignation as the Polish Olympic Committee. One politician begins to decide everything. Minister Nitras manually controls state-owned companies, and where is the Minister of State Property?
– Asked Piesiewicz.
“‘Polish sport will not be intimidated’
He accused the Sports Minister of exceeding his powers.
We are an independent association. Minister Nitras is blackmailing sports associations that they will not get any money if they do not change me. From the very beginning he set himself the goal of changing the president of the Polish Olympic Committee. We will be obliged to inform the IOC about Mr Nitras’ actions. What he is doing is a scandal. It is unbelievable. We approach this with humility. We are working and we will work. Polish sport will not be intimidated
– he declared.
In the first decade of this century, Piesiewicz was active in the Freedom Union and the Democratic Party. According to politicians of the Civic Coalition, he has ties to Law and Justice.
The Polish Olympic Committee consists of Adam Korol, Otylia Jędrzejczak, Leszek Blanik, Tomasz Poręba… Sport should be apolitical. I am not from any political party
– he declared.
According to reports by journalists of the Onet portal, Piesiewicz’s wife earned PLN 1,150,000 at the bank Pekao SA, which amounts to PLN 164,000 per month. She advised the management in marketing matters. There is no trace of her activities in the bank anymore.
My wife is a private citizen. Please stop harassing my family, wife and children. This is simply outrageous. You want to bring about what happened to the late President Adamowicz?
– Asked Piesiewicz.
In April 2023, I became president of the Polish Olympic Committee, which had debts. We settle the accounts with the State Finances in accordance with the terms of the contract. Today we should have the jurisdiction of Mr. Nitras?
– he asked.
After the October parliamentary elections, Piesiewicz wanted to change the statute of the Polish Olympic Committee so that his term of office would last eight years.
Such a proposal was made much earlier. It was submitted by many board members. In retrospect it was a mistake
– he admitted.
Piesiewicz’s term expires in three years.
The Polish Olympic Committee is not responsible for the results at the Olympic Games. In 2027 I will start running again
– he announced.
In many international sports structures the first term is eight years. This is how it should look like in the Polish Olympic Committee
– he justified.
The Polish Cycling Federation was without funding for several months during the Olympic year. He was in debt for years and the bailiff seized his account. The money was transferred to him via the Polish Olympic Committee. It took several years.
The Polish Olympic Committee added to this. Already in November 2023 we suggested that there was a problem and that we would not be able to continue because we were adding money from our budget. None of the presidium members wanted to take this risk
– Piesiewicz explained.
There are small associations, such as boxing and judo, which are not able to generate a suitable advertising equivalent, and the Polish Olympic Committee generates a very large advertising equivalent so that smaller associations can receive money from sponsorships. For example, PZB received 50,000 PLN without the help of the Polish Olympic Committee, and with our help it received one million zlotys. These are facts, not myths
– he continued.
In the years 2010-2022, Polish Olympians were dressed by the Polish company 4F, but the white-red collection for the Paris Games came from Adidas.
4F’s contract with the Polish Olympic Committee has expired. Of the 19 members of the presidium, 18 voted in favor and one abstained. Adidas’ bid won because it was much better. We get the outfits for free. In addition, Adidas pays us financially
– he inquired.
I don’t want to hide anything. We help Polish sports clubs. For the first time in history, we organized the Polish House. You can choose anything. Even to the greatest success. We promoted Poland abroad. If someone accuses me of not having to do it, then we have nothing to discuss, because it’s a mockery.
– he concluded.
tkwl/PAP
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Source: wPolityce
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.