Polish football poker

At the very beginning, here we have some rules, how to play it with visual presentation. And now, about the case related so close to my heart.

The idea, to write a note about the relegation of Widzew Lodz from the Polish top-flight division due to corruption, had been in my mind long before it was happened. I am not an idiot, I was to some of those games, I saw it and I was aware by myself it can happen, it should and it will. "Crime and punishment", simple as that and the title of one of my favourite books.

It has been over two weeks now since it was announced and someone may say I should have written about it earlier, but I simply wanted to chill down, not to express silly emotions here. I am absolutely against corruption, in sports particular, however the Widzew case is a complex one. A one member of board paid referees, but:

• Some of those games players won anyway, without anyone’s help;
• “You’ll pay or you’ll lose” – this is what that member heard and it’s paying a tribute, not corruption;
• Club didn’t win promotion to the upper league when bought games.

There should be no “buts”, however there are significant ones, like those listed above. Moreover, the punishment is not equally the same comparing with other punished clubs. Only those ones faced relegation that had bought the promotion. Apparently, Widzew did not.

Person blamed for corruption is in prison now, the Club has taken further steps against it and was really willing to co-operate with the Polish Football Association. The true is, the PFA wasn’t indeed, even though the Lodz team was the only one honest from the beginning, not trying to negate its fault.

Instead, they arranged press conferences to find guilty long before the trial started. It was hilarious too. Files were given to the Widzew delegation two hours before the trial; so-called judge had controversial views and very subjective opinions (basically I am not surprise, he is a supporter of other team and he’s proud of that). All of those things left me with very bad taste about the situation in Polish football, although they try to show how objective, reliable and clean they are.

I watch this case properly, hopefully everything will be sorted by the end of the season and future of Widzew Lodz will be decided on the pitch, not over the table.

Recent Club statement to the chairman of the PFA: here