Calls for PZPN liquidation 'populist' says former football player

Kosecki, who played for Poland during the 1980s, says the call by the liberal Palikot Movement to liquidate Poland's football association (PZPN) is merely a “populist” gesture.

The call comes as Sports Minister Joanna Mucha is preparing a report to be sent to UEFA president Michel Platini in the wake of allegations of corruption by PZPN chief Grzegorz Lato when concluding plans for the construction of a new football association HQ building.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the opposition Law and Justice party has said that if a crime has been committed then appropriate action should be taken as soon as possible, and not till after the Euro 2012 football championships which are being co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine.

Roman Kosecki, an MP for the ruling Civic Platform party has told Polish Radio, however, that “we must wait for the prosecutor's report” before deciding on a course of action.

He reminded that governments are limited in power when it comes to national sports organisations.

In 2007, FIFA, the world football governing body, threatened sanctions against the game in Poland - including excluding the nation from European and World Cups - after the government, led then by the Law and Justice party, suspended the board of PZPN following a wide-spread match fixing scandal which saw the arrest of one of the members of the board, along with scores of officials, players and coaches.

FIFA said that the principle of “autonomy of national sports organisations was paramount”. (pg)