The head of the Polish Olympic Committee responded sharply to the demands of the Minister of Sport. “You have no powers”

“We will investigate every case of negligence reported by athletes. There were too many signals regarding the lack of presence of coaches, physiotherapists or lack of equipment. We are starting by establishing who and in what capacity was present at the Olympic Games using public money,” the Minister of Sport wrote on social media on Monday.

Sławomir Nitras on the scandal at the Olympic Games

On Wednesday, at a press conference at the Central Sports Centre – Olympic Preparation Centre in Duszniki-Zdrój, Sławomir Nitras announced that he already had a response from half of the sports associations. It is said that, for example, the association presidents and their companions were accommodated in expensive hotels, while doctors and physiotherapists were accommodated in the Pilgrim’s House. The Minister of Sport added that he “saw this during the Olympic Games, but did not want to heat up the atmosphere”.

Onet has obtained a letter that the head of the Polish Olympic Committee, Radosław Piesiewicz, sent to the ministry. In it, he informs Nitras that he “will not provide him with information, and it is not the task of the Polish Olympic Committee to remind the minister that he should act in accordance with the law.” According to Piesiewicz, the sports minister “does not have the authority” to request information about the stay and accommodation of people on behalf of the Polish Olympic Committee during the Olympic Games in Paris.

Radosław Piesiewicz responds to the Minister of Sport

The head of the Polish Olympic Committee continues in the letter that Nitras “does not act as a supervisory body in relation to the Polish Olympic Committee”. “You know perfectly well that the Polish Olympic Committee did not receive a single złoty for the participation of Polish Olympians in the Olympic Games. As employees of the ministry you manage have repeatedly emphasized, financing from public funds can only apply to preparations for participation in the Olympic Games, not the participation itself,” we read.

Piesiewicz continues that “an application in this regard was submitted to the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, and also obtained the acceptance of Nitras, which was confirmed by the issuance of an appropriate decision and signing of a contract for the amount of PLN 1,130,000”. Finally, the head of the Polish Olympic Committee called for “ceasing to violate the law and demanding that these associations provide confidential information regarding persons involved in the functioning of these associations”.