D
uring the first four
weeks of the war,
about 2.2 million
Ukrainian refugees
entered Poland.
Appropriate
services and many
volunteers helping refugees immediately
appeared on the Polish-Ukrainian
border. They offered food, transport
and even their own flats, all for free.
This was an eruption of solidarity
from a nation in which the memory
of World War II – when as many as
six million Poles died – is still strong.
In recent years around a million
Ukrainians have come to Poland
to work; every Pole has come into
contact with a Ukrainian in their
everyday life. That is why they are
treated as neighbours, who receive
help willingly from a nation of people
who can empathise with their plight.
Polish footballers also offered their
immediate support. In the match
against Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern
Munich striker Robert Lewandowski
wore, in addition to the captain’s
armband on one arm, another
armband in the blue and yellow
colours of Ukraine on the other.
Poland No.1 Wojciech Szczesny of
Juventus also made his feelings clear
with an emotional
statement on
Instagram:
“Mywifewas
born in Ukraine,
there is Ukrainian
blood running
through the veins of my son. Part of
our family is still in Ukraine, a lot of my
workers are Ukrainian and they’re all
great people. Seeing the suffering on
their faces and fear for their country
makes me realise I can’t stand still and
pretend that nothing has happened”.
Kamil Glik, a national team defender
who plays in Italy for Benevento, bought
an ambulance to go to Ukraine to pick
up sick children.
In the domestic league, Nieciecza
defender Filip Modelski helped organise
a fundraising campaign among players
from the top three leagues. “The idea
was born out of the heart, seeing
what is happening in the world, to do
something for another human being,”
he said. “We have 54 locker-rooms,and each one has a donation box
for Ukraine. Collection is voluntary”.
Many clubs also rushed to help.
Zaglebie Lubin, for example, organised
a donation campaign, issuing appeals for
children’s items such as nappies, milk,
juices, soups, pyjamas and underwear.
Piast Gliwice allowed all Ukrainian
citizens to enter their league game
with Lechia Gdansk for free. LegionoviaLegionowo, a fourth-tier club, invited
children from Ukraine for free training.
The Polish FA (PZPN) also createda
database of clubs that were organising
free training sessions for Ukrainians to
help them find their closest one more
easily, while the PZPN also ruled thatfootballers from Ukraine, regardless
of the league they transferred from,
would not be included in the limit of
players from outside the EU to make
it easier for them to play in Poland.
The national team were also due
to play Russia in Moscow in the World
Cup qualifying play-offs in March, yet
Cezary Kulesza, the newly-elected
chairman of the PZPN insisted:
“No more words, time to act!
“Due to the escalation of the
aggression of the Russian Federation
towards Ukraine, the Polish national
team does not intend to play the
play-off match against Russia”.
His declaration was supported by
the players, too: “We, the players of
the Polish national team, together with
the Polish Football Association, have
decided that as a result of Russia’s
aggression against Ukraine, we do not
intend to play in the play-off match.
“It is not an easy decision, but there
are more important things in life than
football. Our thoughts are with the
Ukrainian nation and our friend from
the national team, [Dynamo Kyiv
defender] Tomasz Kedziora, who
is still in Kyiv with his family.”
“The decision was unanimous,” said
Kulesza. “We undertook it knowing that
we were supported by footballers, fans
and the government administration.
“It would be unimaginable for us to
play the team of aggressor and stateHelping out...players
of Nieciecza with a
donation box
for UkrainePZPN chief...
Cezary Kulesza“It is not an easy decision, but there are more
important things in life than football”
Statement from Poland’s players after refusing to play
against Russia in their World Cup qualifying play-offPoland
Ukraine’s neighbours react to the Russian invasion
with an empathetic showing of support and solidarity
Headliners