Devastating words of the Grand Master. This is how he assessed the state of Polish sport
Karol Bielecki, a legendary handball player, presented a sad diagnosis of Polish sport. The comment is not only about the crisis in the handball, but the whole situation.
Let us remind you that the Polish national football team at the 2025 World Cup took 25th place. The Poles reached for the President’s Cup of IHF. The consolation prize, the trophy that the national team wins, which will turn out to be the best of … the worst eight of the World Championships.
Karol Bielecki sharply about the situation of Polish sport. The legend hit the point?
And to think that not so long ago, handball players were one of the best teams not only in the European but also in the world edition. “Not so long ago” – it may be a slight abuse – but the fact is, the medals from the 21st century are remembered by Karol Bielecki. One of the leaders of the Polish national team from years ago.
Bielecki reached, among others after silver (2007) and two bronze medals (2009 and 2015) of the world championship. In addition, he was an invaluable figure in the club edition. Interestingly, Bielecki began his career and ended in the ranks of Vive Kielce – a tycoon at the time – not only in the national arena, but also in European cups.
– I have the impression that in our nearly forty -kilion country we hardly work with young people at all. We reflect from wall to wall. Someone will come, tries to introduce his idea, in a moment leaves. Lack of a system that will create or direct beginner youth to play sports. There are no general development classes for children in kindergartens. There is a lack of gymnastics, judo, athletics exercises. There is no money for trainers who could take care of the kids. However, twenty or fifty million zlotys for professional sport is given and you can be satisfied with yourself. In fact, it brings nothing (…) I fall on all this. I have children aged 8 and 6, I know what it looks like. If I left them alone, I am talking about the development that Poland guarantees us, they would not develop. They would not be looked after in terms of sports at all. In a few years they would have no grounds to do anything in sport. Once my generation was running around the yard, we were all the time. And now children prefer a sofa, TV – admitted Bielecki in an interview with Mateusz Skwierawski for WP/SportoweFakty.
It’s hard to disagree with this. Interestingly, currently a colleague Bielecki from the national team, Marcin Lijewski, runs the Polish team. Also distinguished, the former representative, took up a difficult challenge as a selector. This was shown by the aforementioned World Cup tournament 2025, but also what has been happening in recent years with the national team.
And it was not an international success. Definitely more eating in the gray handball zone, without major hope for success.
