World Polonia Games Explained

World Polonia Games
Native Name:Światowe Igrzyska Polonijne
Native Name Lang:pl
Status:Active
Genre:Multi-sport event
Frequency:Annual
Location:Various
Country:Poland
First: (summer)
(winter)
Organised:Association "Polish Community"
Website:World Polonia Games

The World Polonia Games (Polish: Światowe Igrzyska Polonijne) are a multi-sport event held annually for the Polish diaspora (Polonia) and Polish minorities living outside of Poland.[1] Held annually and alternating between summer and winter games each year, the games bring together hundreds of participants from multiple countries worldwide, such as Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The first World Polonia Games were held in 1934 in Warsaw, with 381 athletes from 13 countries. Following a four decade break, the games were revived in 1974 in Kraków and have been held more regularly since. Seventeen different host cities throughout Poland have hosted an installation of the event. Today, the games are organized by the Association "Polish Community" and are covered by TVP Polonia.

The XXI Summer World Polonia Games, its most recent installation, were held in August 2023 in Nysa and Wrocław.[2] The most recent winter games, the XV Winter World Polonia Games, were held in February 2022 in Wisła, Silesian Voivodeship.[3]

History

Background and the first games

As early as the turn of the century around 1900, during the period of the third partition of Poland, Polish athletes travelled to participate on sports competitions. For example, the "Meeting of the Polish Falconers' Union" (Zlot Sokolstwa Polskiego), which took place in Kraków in 1910 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Tannenberg, in which around 10,000 Poles from Europe and the United States took part in. Sports and athleticism was developed in Poland in the 1930s, during the time of the independent Second Polish Republic, with the nation participating in the Olympic Games. The growing enthusiasm for sports led to the establishment of numerous Polish sports clubs in the diaspora.

At a "Congress of the Organizing Council of Poles Abroad” in Warsaw in 1933, the "First Polonia Sports Games" (I. Polonijne Igrzyska Sportowe, PIS) were organized for Poles living outside of Poland (including those from the Free City of Danzig). Its organizing committee was headed by the Marshal of the Senate Władysław Raczkiewicz. The firsrt games were held in 1934 in Warsaw, and 400 athletes took part from 13 nations worldwide.[4] The opening ceremony on August 1, 1934, in Warsaw's Stadion Wojska Polskiego was attended by the President of Poland Ignacy Mościcki. The largest team was made up of Poles from the Free City of Danzig with 64 competitors, with the most successful teams being those from France, Danzig, and Czechoslovakia.

The modern games

The Second World War and post-war tension resulted in a four decade break in the games until its revival in 1974 in Kraków. Even then, authorities initially prevented the participation of Poles from the Soviet Union and its successor states until the nation's collapse in 1991. In 1986, the first winter World Polonia Games took place in Zakopane for the first time. They were originally held every three years from 1986 to 1992, but have now been held every two years since 2000 after an eight-year break.[5]

In 1990, the association "Polish Community" (Stowarzyszenie "Wspólnota Polska") was founded in Warsaw, which organizes the World Games to this day. The aim of the association is to strengthen ties among Poles living abroad. The association's longtime chairman, the politician Andrzej Stelmachowski, campaigned for a revival of the Games in the 1990s. At the 1991 Summer Games, participants had the opportunity to meet Pope John Paul II, who was present at the event.

Since 1997, the main media patron and co-organizer of the games has been TVP Polonia.[6] The games have been held annually, with the event alternating between summer and winter games each year, since 1999; Summer Games are held in odd-numbered years and Winter Games in even-numbered years. Games hosts vary, while the regular hosts of the Winter Games have been the Beskids (6 times; consisting of the cities of Bielsko Biała, Cieszyn, Szczyrk, Tychy, and Wisła together) and Zakopane (5 times).[7] In 2018, the Winter Games were brought to Krynica-Zdrój for the first time.[8]

The games continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 Ukrainian refugee crisis, although to a reduced extent and with increased health and safety precautions in place for the 2020, 2021, and 2022 games.[9] The games continued with their regular layout in 2023 with the XXI Summer World Polonia Games in Nysa and Wroclaw.

Sports

Summer Games

In addition to a children's and family tournament, the Summer Games have consisted of:Source:[10]

Winter Games

In addition to a children's and family tournament, the Winter Games have consisted of:Source:

Participating nations

The games are open to any Polish person or person of Polish descent who does not permanently live in Poland.[11] Participating nations at the World Polonia Games have included those listed in the table below. Numbers indicate the number of times nations have topped a games medal table.

Source:

Notable people

Participants

Attendees

Additional guests at the 2011 Summer Games opening ceremony in Wrocław included Jacek Bocian, Jan Brzeźny, Piotr Rysiukiewicz, Ryszard Szurkowski, and Urszula Włodarczyk. Numerous Polish Olympians were also present during the 2011 Summer Games, including Halina Aszkiełowicz-Wojno, Włodzimierz Chlebosz, Mariusz Jędra, Mieczysław Łopatka, Ryszard Podlas, and Leszek Swornowski.

List of World Polonia Games

Summer Games

YearHostGames datesDisciplinesCompetitorsNationsTop nation
I1934 Warsaw1–8 Aug738113 France
II1937 WarsawPostponed and later cancelled
II1974 Kraków17–21 Jul1131913
III1977 Kraków17–20 Jul1268715
IV1981 Kraków15–19 Jul1138312
V1984 Warsaw15–20 Jul1449515
VI1987 Kraków26–31 Jul16130029
VII1991 Kraków4–12 Aug1227114
VIII1997 Lublin24–31 Aug1360024 Belarus
IX1999 Lublin23–29 Aug1235016 Latvia
X2001 Sopot29 Jul – 6 Aug1778921 Germany
XI2003 Poznań26 Jul – 2 Aug1670022 Belarus
XII2005 Warsaw6–14 Aug18100028 Belarus
XIII2007 Słupsk28 Jul – 4 Aug21106828 Germany
XIV2009 Toruń1–9 Aug23110128 Germany
XV2011 Wrocław29 Jul – 6 Aug28168231 Germany
XVI2013 Kielce3–10 Aug18100030 Czech Republic
XVII2015 Silesia2–8 Aug2080029 Belarus
XVIII2017 Toruń29 Jul – 6 Aug23100032 Czech Republic
XIX2019 Gdynia27 Jul – 4 Aug22126827 Czech Republic
XX2021 Pułtusk19–24 Sep1750027 Czech Republic
XXI2023 Nysa-Wrocław26 – 31 Aug60024 Czech Republic
Source:[1] [17] [18]

Winter Games

YearHostGames datesDisciplinesCompetitorsNationsTop nation
I1986 Zakopane620010n/a
II1989 Zakopane814617n/a
III1992 Zakopane2–7 Febn/an/a
IV2000 Beskids28 Feb – 5 Mar421517 Czech Republic
V2002 Beskids1–6 Mar655020 Czech Republic
VI2004 Beskids28 Feb – 3 Mar762523 Czech Republic
VII2006 Beskids24 Feb – 2 Mar766424 Czech Republic
VIII2008 Beskids29 Feb – 5 Mar750020 Canada
IX2010 Zakopane6–14 Mar1273025 Czech Republic
X2012 Beskids25 Feb – 3 Mar1060023 Lithuania
XI2014 Karkonosze23 Feb – 1 Mar1060023 Lithuania
XII2016 Podkarpackie29 Feb – 4 Mar1250016 Lithuania
XIII2018 Krynica-Zdrój25 Feb – 1 Mar954622 Czech Republic
XIV2020 Krynica-Zdrój20–23 Dec412010n/a
XV2022 Wisła27 Feb – 3 Mar1050021 Czech Republic
Source:[19] [20]

Host cities

Host cities of World Polonia Games
Number of occurrences

Medal tables

Winter Games

Medal leaders by year

Summer Games

Winter Games

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Igrzyska Polonijne - Team Canada. 2022-02-03. www.igrzyskapolonijne.ca.
  2. Web site: Stowarzyszenie Wspólnota Polska. STOWARZYSZENIE WSPÓLNOTA POLSKA POLECA: Zakończenie XXI Światowych Letnich Igrzysk Polonijnych . 2023-09-02 . wspolnotapolska.org.pl . pl.
  3. Web site: Polska . Stowarzyszenie Wspólnota . EM . STUDIO . STOWARZYSZENIE WSPÓLNOTA POLSKA POLECA: ZAPRASZAMY NA XV ŚWIATOWE ZIMOWE IGRZYSKA POLONIJNE . 2022-02-05 . pai.media.pl . pl.
  4. Woltmann-Żebrowska. Małgorzata. 2012. Lekkoatletyka na polonijnych igrzyskach sportowych w Polsce w latach 1934-2011. Prace Naukowe Akademii im. Jana Długosza w Częstochowie. Kultura Fizyczna. 11. 83–98.
  5. Web site: Kamińska. Katarzyna. 2021-01-11. Światowe Igrzyska Polonijne: święto sportu ponad granicami. 2022-02-04. POLSKA360.org. pl-PL.
  6. Web site: S.A. Telewizja Polska. Wystartowały Światowe Igrzyska Polonijne. 2022-02-04. polonia24.tvp.pl. pl.
  7. Web site: 2012-01-09 . Zaproszenie na X Światowe Zimowe Igrzyska Polonijne . 2022-02-04 . Polishnews.com . pl-PL.
  8. Web site: XIII Światowe Zimowe Igrzyska Polonijne 26.02.-2.03 - Jaworzyna Krynicka . 2022-02-04 . jaworzynakrynicka.pl.
  9. Web site: Zaproszenie na Wielkie Święto Sportu Polonijnego do malowniczej Wisły . 2022-02-04 . l24.lt . pl-pl.
  10. Web site: Światowe Letnie Igrzyska Polonijne. 2022-02-03. wspolnotapolska.org.pl.
  11. Web site: Sapiejka. Dariusz. Podziękowania Stowarzyszenia "Wspólnota Polska" za wsparcie organizacji XX Światowych Igrzysk Polonijnych w Pułtusku.
  12. Web site: 2011-08-11. Podsumowano igrzyska polonijne. 2022-02-08. umwd.dolnyslask.pl.
  13. Web site: Igrzyska Polonijne - Team Canada. 2022-02-05. www.igrzyskapolonijne.ca.
  14. Web site: Witkowski. Paweł. Polonia Kanadyjska poraz drugi drugą ekipą igrzysk. 2022-02-08. www.igrzyskapolonijne.ca.
  15. Web site: Starczak-Kozłowska. Krystyna. Polskich sportowców gromada - to Kanada !. 2022-02-08. www.igrzyskapolonijne.ca.
  16. Web site: Światowe Zimowe Igrzyska Polonijne Szczyrk 2006. 2022-02-05. www.pasaus.org. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20161025032531/http://www.pasaus.org/swiatowe-zimowe-igrzyska-polonijne-szczyrk-2006/. 2016-10-25.
  17. Web site: 2017-07-13. Światowe Letnie Igrzyska Polonijne. 2022-02-04. Polishnews.com. pl-PL.
  18. Nowak. Leonard. Timeline of Summer World Polonia Games (1934–2015). Prace Naukowe. 2016. 4. 69–87.
  19. Nowak. Leonard. Timeline of World Polonia Winter Games (1986–2016). Prace Naukowe. 2017. 3. 85–105.
  20. Web site: "Stowarzyszenie Wspólnota Polska". 2022-02-03. www.wspolnota-polska.org.pl.