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Polish car thief joke makes waves at swimming championships

PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle 20.08.2014 16:17
Polish diplomats and swimming association have protested after a German announcer at the European Swimming Championship in Berlin made a joke about Poles and car thieves.

32nd
32nd LEN European Swimming Championships 2014 in Berlin, Germany: photo - EPA/HANNIBAL HANSCHKE

“Let's welcome the large team from Poland, who have come to return our cars,” the presenter joked during the team parade at the opening ceremony, in a country where the stereotype of Poles being car thieves was commonly held until recently.

“We were surprised. We could not believe what we had heard,” Andrzej Kowalski, president of the Polish Swimming Federation told the Przegląd Sportowy sports daily.

“We believe that it was extremely distasteful [and] I immediately protested to the organizers, asking for a clarification,” Kowalski said.

The Polish Embassy in Berlin also sent a letter of protest to the organisers.

The organisers of the European Swimming Championships were quick to point out that the announcer was a showman hired to conduct the opening ceremony, but not the one who presides over the swimming races.

The announcer, Dirk Froberg, has apologised for the joke.

The European Swimming Championships last from 18 to 24 August. Poland has yet to win a medal. (pg)

tags: racism, swimming
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