24.03.2017

Polish FA head accused of sexism

The Polish FA (PZPN) chairman Zbigniew Boniek has caused controversy this week following comments made to a female football administrator on social media.

On March 20th Mr. Boniek joined a twitter conversation between the Polish Ekstraklasa (First Division) spokesperson Karolina Hytrek-Prosiecka and the former Deputy Prime Minister of Poland Janusz Piechociński, responding to an offer by Ms. Hytrek-Prosiecka to discuss matters together over a coffee. Mr. Boniek tweeted in Polish: “…when discussing football with Piechociński we don't need a baba [a derogatory term for women]”.

When numerous commentators, and Ms Prosiecka herself, expressed indignation and demanded apologies, Boniek replied: "It was funny. It was a joke but not everybody was able to understand it because not everybody is equally intelligent".

Ms Prosiecka commented: "It is pure discrimination (...) I would not be concerned about such comments if they didn't come from the PZPN chairman and a prospective candidate for the UEFA Executive Committee."

The story is being covered in leading media across the country including in the Polish edition of Newsweek.

The PZPN President has previously been involved in controversy after using his twitter feed to publicly criticise the 'NEVER AGAIN' Association, after objecting to a UEFA sanction of a Polish club for acts of discrimination.

Report incident