Polish Politicians, Athletes Call for Krakow Bid Support

Polish political giants and sports stars make a final appeal to Krakow residents to vote in favor of the 2022 Olympic bid in Sunday’s referendum.

An open letter to the city’s residents, signed by former Polish presidents Lech Wałęsa and Aleksander Kwaśniewski and ex-PM Jerzy Buzek, as well as dozens of Olympians, is published on the Krakow 2022 website.

It is signed by more than 40 politicians, sports figures including multiple Olympic medalist Justyna Kowalczyk and Olympic gold medalist Zbigniew Bródka, and numerous Polish arts and entertainment stars.

They urge Krakow’s population to support the Olympic bid in Sunday’s vote, which coincides with voting in the European Parliament elections.

"We, the undersigned, firmly believe that the Games in Poland represent a unique chance that will be properly leveraged if the process of preparation for the Games is a concerted effort, even if the idea itself continues to be the object of an open public debate," the letter said.

"Without doubt, Olympic Winter Games 2022 in Krakow will contribute to a major positive change in quality of and approach to the Polish winter sports."

The signees said the Olympics would provide "unique growth stimulus for the city, region, and Poland as a whole," helping to address key problems related to infrastructure, transport, and quality of life in both Krakow and the region "faster and more effectively."

They said it was "our firm belief that Krakow is being offered an unprecedented opportunity and that it is capable of taking advantage of that opportunity."

The letter added: "The vision of organisation of Olympic Winter Games 2022 in Krakow and the Małopolska region, in Poland and in Slovakia, places new challenges ahead of us all but it is also the driving force behind our actions.

"Through the Games, Krakow can make its presence felt in the world in a unique manner and make our dreams come true.

"We are convinced that the effort put in preparing and staging Olympic Winter Games 2022 in Poland will make us proud. We also believe that together we shall assume responsibility for our future and support the concept whose importance goes far beyond the purely sport-related and commercial dimensions."

A question asking if people are in favor of organizing a Krakow Olympics in 2022 is among four that will be put to residents in the referendum on Sunday. Other questions will seek their feedback on different city policies.

Turnout needs to exceed 30 percent for the result to be valid.

Krakow city council is hoping that a major PR campaign, including TV and billboard advertising, launched to bolster flagging support for the Olympic bid will pay off. Last month’s public opinion poll, conducted by the Homo Homini Institute, dealt a blow to the bid team; 58 percent of respondents registered their opposition to the bid.

The Polish bid is also struggling to recover from the loss of its bid president Jagna Marczułajtis, who quit last month in after a bribery scandal involving her husband. Deputy mayor Magdalena Sroka took up the post.

But the anti-Olympic camp seems have won greater support in recent months. Today, the Krakow Against the Olympics Facebook page shows 22,902 likes compared to the Krakow Is Worth the Olympics page, which has just 2,327 likes.

Krakow faces competition for the 2022 Olympics from Almaty, Beijing, Lviv, and Oslo.

Written by Mark Bisson

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