NewsAssociation
Cezary Kulesza Wins an Award at the 88th Popularity Poll of the Przegląd Sportowy
During the 88th popularity poll of the Przegląd Sportowy, President of the Polish Football Association Cezary Kulesza was awarded a honorable mention for his special activities in the face of Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The Super Champion Award was presented to the President by the Minister of Sport and Tourism Kamil Bortniczuk. Let us recall that the Polish national team was supposed to compete against Russia in the Qatar World Cup play-offs, but because of the waged war, the President of the PZPN Cezary Kulesza declared that the match between our national team and the aggressor was impossible. Along with the Polish Football Association, there was also a vote of support from the football federations of Sweden and the Czech Republic.
On Saturday, 7 January, the President of the Polish Football Association was honoured for his initiative condemning Russia's aggression against Ukraine during the 88th Przegląd Sportowy poll, which was held in Warsaw. "I would like to thank you very much for this award. I have never received this type of award as an athlete, but I have received it now as an activist. I am very proud to be among this group of the most outstanding athletes and to be recognised at this festive event. Thank you very much once again," said Cezary Kulesza, President of the Polish Football Association.
As a result of the protest from three football federations – of Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic – the Russian national team has been excluded by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) from the play-off matches. Our national team had to face the Swedish team that won in the first meeting with the Czech Republic only after extra time 1:0. In the decisive game at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów, the Polish national team won the ticket to Qatar after an exciting match. The coveted victory for our national team was secured by goals scored by Robert Lewandowski from a penalty kick and by Piotr Zielinski.
"As a result of the brutal aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the war that continues there, we do not see any possibility of competing with the Russian national team in play-off matches for promotion to the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 regardless of the name of the team consisting of Russian footballers and the place of the match. In the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which was condemned almost all over the world, this is the only decision we can make. A performance in a match against the Russian national team would be a shameful act not just for our players but for the entire football community, contrary to solidarity with the Ukrainian nation. As a football association, we refuse to participate in play-off matches in which the Russian national team appears. At the same time, we call on the FIFA authorities to react immediately to the brutal violence that we observe daily on the territory of independent Ukraine. If FIFA’s Human Rights Policy is more than just words on paper, now is the time to put it into practice by excluding the Russian Football Association from the qualifiers for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022," declared President Cezary Kulesza at that time.
