It was a very good, albeit challenging, year for Polish sport. My assessment of it is positive in terms of the results achieved by our athletes, the sports diplomacy related to the exclusion of Russians from world sports arenas and the work done by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism,

said Minister of Sport and Tourism Kamil Bortniczuk.

Sporting Successes of Poles

In 2022, the White and Reds won 844 medals at international-level events: in Olympic sports (187 medals), non-Olympic sports (258 medals) and competitions for persons with disabilities (193 medals). Our athletes enjoyed historic successes and victories in major competitions. The greatest successes of the Poles certainly include:

• dominance of Iga Świątek who has been the leader of the WTA Singles Ranking since April 2022
• Polish volleyball players’ silver medal at the World Championships
• Dawid Kubacki’s bronze medal at the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing
• four medals for Poles at the World Athletics Championships in the USA
• championship of the Rugby Europe Women’s Sevens in Kraków
• fourth place of Polish basketball players at the European Championships
• promotion of the Polish national football team to the 1/8 finals of the World Cup after 36 years
• 42 medals for Poles at the Deaflympics in Brazil
• the title of the Individual Speedway World Champion won by Bartosz Zmarzlik
• the second consecutive win by ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle in the Champions League
• the seventh place of Polish female volleyball players at the World Championships and the promotion to the quarter-finals of this event after 60 years.

These have been historic successes. I would like to thank the Polish athletes for giving us so many positive emotions in 2022,

emphasized Minister Kamil Bortniczuk.

Major sporting events in Poland; taking over events from Russia

In 2022, Poland hosted 74 sporting events at the level of World Championships, European Championships, World Cups and world ranking competitions – an average of six sporting events per month. These included the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championships, the Individual Speedway World Championships and the Ski Jumping World Cup in Wisła and Zakopane.

The Ministry of Sport and Tourism allocated PLN 180 million to their organisation, including PLN 120 million of additional funding earmarked for sporting events taken over from Russia following the country’s aggression against Ukraine. Among the events taken over from Russia were the Volleyball Men’s World Championships, the Rugby Europe Women’s and Men’s Sevens Championships for seniors, the European Junior U-17 Weightlifting Championships, the European Sport Shooting Championships, and the Women’s Épée World Cup.

Poland is one of the leaders among hosts of sporting events in Europe: on average we hold six international-level sporting events per month. Together with all Polish sports associations, we stood shoulder to shoulder in taking action to exclude Russia from international competitions. I would like to thank all representatives of Polish sport for welcoming Ukrainian athletes and providing them with the possibility   out professional training,

said Minister Bortniczuk.

Effective sports diplomacy on sanctions

Since the beginning of Russia’s aggression, we have successfully advocated internationally for imposing sport sanctions on Russia and Belarus, being in the vanguard of countries fighting against the Putin regime by taking action in the field of sports,

underlined Minister Bortniczuk, who was one of the European leaders of the process.

The Minister’s diplomatic efforts resulted, inter alia, in two joint positions of the ministers of sport of the European Union and non-European countries on the elimination of Russia from global sporting competition. The Minister took part in numerous bilateral and multilateral meetings and diplomatic interventions, and supported Polish sports associations in decisions to boycott events with Russia’s participation.

In June this year, the Minister appointed a team comprising representatives of the Ministry, the Polish Olympic Committee, the Paralympic Committee and the Belarusian Sports Solidarity Foundation to draw up recommendations on the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in sports competitions in Poland. On 24 October, Minister Bortniczuk, together with the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, Vadym Hutcajt, signed the Programme of cooperation in the field of physical culture and sport for 2023-2024. The provisions of the programme set out the principles of cooperation between public authorities and sports federations of both countries in the areas of top-level sport, sport for all, sports infrastructure and the fight against doping.

Record budget

In  2022 the Ministry of Sport and Tourism had a record budget for sport.

Thanks to excellent cooperation with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, funds for Polish sport were increased from the planned amount of PLN 1.7 billion to PLN 2.4 billion. We managed to secure more than PLN 3.5 billion for 2023. This an enormous increase unprecedented in history,

pointed out Minister Kamil Bortniczuk.

Record funds were allocated for all areas of sporting activities of the Ministry of Sport and Tourism: PLN 656 million for top-level sport (compared to PLN 404 million in 2021 and PLN 153 million in 2015), PLN 400 million for grassroots sport (compared to PLN 276 million in 2021 and PLN 117 million in 2015), PLN 750 million for the development of sports infrastructure (compared to PLN 574 million in 2021 and PLN 329 million in 2015). In 2022 we earmarked PLN 66 million for sport for persons with disabilities (as compared to PLN 35 million in 2015).

Major programmes – top-level sport

Olympic and non-Olympic sports – PLN 181 million

Youth top-level sports – PLN 175 million

Sport for Persons with Disabilities – PLN 45 million

New Sports Scholarships Team 100 – PLN 44 million

Major programmes – grassroots sport

Governmental Programme Club – over PLN 69 million

Sport for All – over PLN 60 million

School Sports Club  – nearly PLN 58 million

Sports Holidays+ – PLN 50 million

Certification of Football Schools – PLN 50 million

Major programmes – sports infrastructure

Sporting Poland – PLN 250 million

Investments of Particular Importance for Sport – PLN 233 million

Programme for the Development of Football Infrastructure

for Ekstraklasa and 1st League Clubs – PLN 140 million

Modernisation Programme for Orlik Stadia – PLN 30 million

Tennis Poland  – PLN 4 million

Sport for persons with disabilities

In 2022, we allocated the largest ever amounts to sport for persons with disabilities, in both top-level sport and grassroots sport. We noted an increase in outlays on the promotion of sports among persons with disabilities by more than 100 per cent relative to 2015, and on competitions for persons with disabilities by 158 per cent relative to 2015.

In 2022 the budget for sport for persons with disabilities was PLN 66 million – PLN 45 million in the field of top-level sport and PLN 21 million in the field of grassroots sport. In 2023, these budgets will increase to PLN 54 million and PLN 30 million respectively. In 2022, 193 medals were won by Polish athletes with disabilities at international sporting events.

Investment in COS-OPO (National Sports Centre – Olympic Training Facility)

We allocated PLN 233 million for the Programme of Investments of Particular Importance for Sport, through which we are upgrading training facilities for Poland’s national teams. The investments implemented at the National Sports Centre – OPO include a multifunctional sports hall in Wałcz, an ice track in Zakopane, dormitories for athletes in Giżycko and Cetniewo, and cross-country and biathlon trails in Szczyrk.

It is our duty to upgrade the COS-OPO facilities. In Zakopane, we are building one of the best and most beautiful ice tracks in Europe. Professional conditions for training supported and co-financed by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism are one of the elements of sporting success,

pointed out Minister Bortniczuk.

Agreement COS – WOT (Territorial Defence Forces)

Thanks to the agreement concluded by the National Sports Centre with the Command of the Territorial Defence Forces (WOT), soldiers of this formation will be entitled to use the modern training and physiotherapy facilities of COS-OPO on preferential terms.

The military and sport are two faces of patriotism. The Ministry of Sport and Tourism wants to promote and fosters a culture in which work on oneself, pride in being Polish and the desire to serve Poland come together to form a harmonious whole. All these elements are present in the military and in sport alike,

says Minister Kamil Bortniczuk.

Forging cooperation with WOT is another important step aimed at supporting Poles’ security by actions of the Ministry of Sport. 

Minister’s new initiatives

2022 was marked by new projects and initiatives. Minister Kamil Bortniczuk decided to introduce pilot editions of programmes, which will be continued and developed to an even greater extent next year as well. The new projects included inter alia:

• Shooting Popularisation Programme – budget of PLN 5.1 million, over 7,000 participants, the project targeted at school and university-level students aged 18-26 and adults.

 

The programme is a response to the needs of Polish society and the increased interest of Poles in shooting skills since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The great popularity of the pilot edition of the programme makes us allocate twice as much funds for it in 2023,

– Minister Bortniczuk says.

• Modernisation of sports facilities “My Football Pitch - Orlik 2012”, aimed at improving the technical condition of generally accessible sports and recreation facilities and the development of physical activity among children and young people. As part of the programme, 181 investments worth nearly PLN 50 million were pre-qualified.

 

• The Tennis Poland Programme with a budget of PLN 4 million in its pilot edition. Thanks to the first edition 16 new courts and 6 tennis court roofs will be built.

 

• The Programme for the Development of Football Infrastructure for Ekstraklasa and 1st League clubs, aimed at developing training and coaching facilities, providing modern sports infrastructure, especially for children and young people, and improving football in Poland. The programme’s budget is PLN 140 million in the pilot edition.
   
• The 1st European Congress of Sport and Tourism – the first event of its kind for the sport and tourism industry. During three days, 100 speakers debated in 60 panels about the challenges for sport and tourism in the 21st century. It was an opportunity for coaches, sports activists, athletes, representatives of politics, business and the media to exchange experiences.

We will do the utmost to ensure that the second edition of the European Congress of Sport and Tourism is held in 2023. The sporting milieu deserves a venue for a special debate on the sport developments and the challenges we have to face,

announced Minister Bortniczuk.

Plans for 2023

As much as PLN 3.5 billion – this is the budget that the Ministry of Sport and Tourism will have at its disposal in 2023. It will enable us to implement new projects and to develop the existing programmes even more effectively.

One thousand sports halls at Polish schools

The first full edition of the programme aimed at building 1,000 new halls at Polish schools will be launched in 2023. The programme will be implemented between 2023 and 2024.

It will be the largest sports infrastructure development programme in the history of the Republic of Poland. The projected budget is PLN 2 billion,

says Minister Bortniczuk.

 

 

Virtual shooting range in every school

As part of the development of the Shooting Popularisation Programme, Minister Bortniczuk has announced the establishment of a programme of classes at virtual shooting ranges, which will be available to all Polish secondary school students. Two hundred local animators will participate in the project which will have a budget of PLN 25 million. The programme will be implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science.

Sports Talents

Next school year, our new Sports Talents programme will be an obligatory part of the core curriculum in schools. This is the result of our good cooperation with the Minister of Education and Science, Mr Przemysław Czarnek,

says Minister Bortniczuk.

In the 2022/2023 school year, the Sport Talents Programme is being carried out on a pilot basis in schools in the Opolskie and Lubelskie voivodships (regions). It is a tool that allows teachers to assess the sporting potential of pupils. The results of the fitness tests conducted each semester are placed in an anonymised database, which – with the consent of the student and parents – will be made available to Polish sports associations and clubs. Thanks to it, it will be easier to find sports talents among children and young people.

Third European Games Kraków-Małopolska

The biggest sporting event of 2023 in the world is ahead of us – the 3rd European Games Kraków-Małopolska. We are strengthening the rank of this event and we are making Olympic history. The European Games, which will be held in our country this year, are a new quality event on the sports map of Europe. For the first time they will be held in a member state of the European Union, and their sporting programme will be exceptionally rich,

Minister Bortniczuk announces.

The European Games will comprise 28 disciplines, most of them Olympic, which will be held in 11 locations. Ninety five per cent of the disciplines will have the rank of Olympic and European Championships qualification.