Sports Minister Demands PKOl Chief Pay Athletes from Own Pocket Over Zondacrypto Fiasco

Poland's Sports Minister Jakub Rutnicki has severely criticized PKOl President Radosław Piesiewicz for cynically exploiting the image of Polish athletes to promote the troubled cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto, which has failed to deliver promised payments to Olympic medalists.

During an appearance on the "Debata Gozdyry" program, Rutnicki condemned what he described as a scandal that has left the entire sports community paying the price for Piesiewicz's irresponsible decision to secure such a sponsor. The cryptocurrency exchange, which became PKOl's general sponsor in October, promised 1.38 million złoty in token rewards to Polish athletes competing in this year's winter Olympic Games in Italy, including payments to medalists and athletes who finished in positions 4-8.

Broken Promises and Growing Frustration

"The entire sports community now pays the price because such an irresponsible person brought in a sponsor that cannot pay the money promised to Olympic medalists," Rutnicki explained. The minister pointed out that despite tokens appearing in athletes' accounts, conversion attempts to Polish currency have consistently failed. Notable athletes including speed skater Damian Żurek and ski jumper Kacper Tomasiak, a three-time Olympic medalist, have publicly raised concerns about the situation.

Adding insult to injury, Rutnicki noted that Piesiewicz granted himself a salary increase just two weeks after the Games concluded. "He excels at that, while Polish sportsmen and women wait for their money," the minister remarked.

Call for Personal Accountability

The minister issued a direct challenge to the PKOl president: "If Piesiewicz possesses any honor whatsoever, and the funds from the sponsor—which has effectively gone bankrupt—are not paid to the athletes, then the PKOl president should cover these payments from his own pocket."

Rutnicki characterized Piesiewicz's explanations as resembling those of a caught thief. "It's a thief caught red-handed, screaming that it's not his hand. But that is precisely the hand responsible for money not reaching where it should," he said.

Broader Implications

The minister stressed that Polish athletes' images have been weaponized to legitimize a company that subsequently collapsed. "Over 30,000 Poles lack access to their own money," Rutnicki noted, highlighting the scandal's scope beyond the sports community.

He emphasized that the government invests enormous resources in athlete development programs. "The image of a Polish sportsperson should be sacred. The Polish are deceived," Rutnicki concluded, underscoring the breach of public trust.

PKOl President's Defense

Piesiewicz has maintained that he signed the sponsorship agreement in good faith. He stated that PKOl fulfilled all its financial and material obligations to athletes, and that Zondacrypto delivered rewards and tokens to competitors' accounts. The PKOl chief argued that without Zondacrypto's financial support, the Polish Olympic team could not have attended the Games at all, and he insisted there are no grounds to terminate the sponsorship contract.