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Accusations fly over whistles during Euro handball final

PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge 02.02.2016 15:49
An online Polish news outlet has sparked a rumpus on social media after claiming that German fans whistled at Prime Minister of Poland Beata Szydło during the medal ceremony of the European Men's Handball Championship.
Prime Minister of Poland Beata Szydło and German players during the medal ceremony following Sunday's final of the European Men's Handball Championship. Photo: PAP/Jacek BednarczykPrime Minister of Poland Beata Szydło and German players during the medal ceremony following Sunday's final of the European Men's Handball Championship. Photo: PAP/Jacek Bednarczyk

Germany won the final against Spain 24-17 at Kraków's Tauron Arena, after which whistling was heard as Szydło presented medals to the winning side.

The W Polityce portal, sister to the right-wing W Sieci weekly, duly published an article entitled 'The Unbelievable Insolence of German Fans', insisting that the disparaging whistles came from Germans.

However, co-founder of the portal Jacek Karnowski was duly challenged on his Twitter profile when he repeated the claim that Germans were responsible.

When asked by a Polish Twitter-user how he knew that the whistlers were Germans and not Poles who were displeased with the match result - or likewise Poles displeased with the premier - Karnowski insisted that German whistles “have a different accent.”

After a wave of online ridicule, Karnowski changed tack and claimed that he was being "humorous", although the article about the "insolent Germans" remained online.

In the wake of the European Commission's decision to launch a probe into the rule of law in Poland, W Sieci printed a front cover that showed German politicians Angela Merkel and Martin Schulz carving up Poland, echoing an 18th century print relating to the dismemberment of Poland by Prussia, Austria and Russia. The lead article was entitled 'Plots against Poland.' (nh/pk)

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