Wielu moich kolegów badmintonistów z całego świata odwiedza mój  blog, dlatego Beata Moore tłumaczy niektóre moje wpisy dotyczące historii badmintona w Polsce, aby  więcej osób mogło poznać historię tej dyscypliny. Wiele osób nie zdaje sobie sprawy z jakim trudem i jakim kosztem rodziła się siła i późniejsze sukcesy polskiego badmintona. Dlatego postanowiłam kontynuować ten cykl artykułów oddając tym samym hołd tym wszystkim minionym działaczom, dzięki którym dzisiejszy badminton odnosi sportowe sukcesy. 

It was year 1982 when during Polish Badminton Association meeting, Zbigniew Przybylski, director of  Head of Physical Culture and Sport Department at Voivodeship Office  in Opole suggested shyly, why don’t we build badminton sport hall in Głubczyce? Total silence in the meeting room. Sport Hall? In Głubczyce? Unthinkable! Many years passed before the process started. In 1986 the first plans and drawings were presented by the team from Głubczyce: Marian Masiuk director of Centre of Sport and Recreation, Bohdan Chomętowski- president of Badminton  District Council in Głubczyce, Jerzy Kozłowski president of club  LKS Technik Głubczyce, Ryszard Borek national coach, as well as representatives of Głubczyce Town Hall.

All of them were very well prepared to answer all technical questions, the height – it needed to be at least 11 metres high and big enough for at least 6 courts, plus some viewing platforms, so approximately 34 x 50 metres, with changing rooms, coaches’ room, and management room. There was also a plan for a hotel with 56 rooms – that was essential for tournaments and other events. The plan was submitted to Central Committee of Physical Culture and Tourism and we hoped that they will support our vision. To our delight the plan was accepted (and put into central plan!!! of  Central Committee of Physical Culture and Tourism) and in 1988, building of the first badminton sport hall in Poland  has started.  Marian Renke leading in 1984   Central Committee of Physical Culture and Tourism  together with the Investment Department guaranteed the funds for the build. Activists from Glubczyce also put a lot of effort into getting some funds from local authorities. All looked good, to good to last! In 1985 Bolesław Kapitan became the minister of Sport and yet again many more meetings so as the financial support wasn’t dropped.  In 1987-1988  Bolesław Kapitan was replaced by Aleksander Kwaśniewski, so yet more meetings and talks! Not sure how many meetings, but me and Andrzej Szalewicz, president of the Polish Badminton Association were frequent guests in the Ministry of Sport ( former Central Committee of Physical Culture and Tourism) and  Marian Masiuk who was in charge of the build wrote countless letters – all that enabled us to survive until 1989.

Truly difficult years started in 1991 as there was a general chaos due to economic and political changes in Poland. There was very little money for continuing with the build. Luckily the team led by Marian continued the work, hoping that any day more money will be arranged. Then, Andrzej Szalewicz was elected a new President of the Polish Olympic Committee. He was the very first president who was not involved in Communist Party; in fact, he was fired from ZAE „POLON” company for protecting Solidarity members. Andrzej Szalewicz was at the same time the President of the Polish Badminton Association and Union of the Polish Sports Associations. We hoped that Andrzej’s new position will help with getting more funds to put a roof on an unfinished sport hall.  There were many changes in the structure of Ministry of Sport and  people who were heading it (there were six, Zygmunt Lenkiewicz, Michał Bidas, Zygmunt Zalewski, Marek Paszucha, Stefan Paszczyk, Jacek Dębski).

We did not give up hope though, we could not let the unfinished building rot, we had to find the way to buy more materials and continue. Andrzej Szalewicz and I persuaded Eugeniusz Pietrasik, the vice Chairman of Ministry of Sport and also President of Polish Olympics Foundation and vice president Polish Olympic Committee to visit Głubczyce. First a quick visit to the building site, than a several hours long discussions. It was a truly successful meetings, as the funds to finalise the build in the next three years were granted.  Just before finishing the sport hall another blow, we heard from the Głubczyce  Town Hall, that the hotel that was an integral part of the build was sold. All in the glory of law! Unbelievable and sad but true.

The overall cost of the sport hall was 25 billion of old Polish zlotys.( for today 2.500.000 Polish zlotys = ca 600.000 Euro)

On the 5^th of July of 1996, after of 8  long years  investments,  the sport hall was officially opened. At the same time, the Badminton Centre of Olympic Preparation was opened too. During the ceremony, we wished Katarzyna Krasowska player good luck, who with the coach Ryszard Borek left for the Atlanta Olympic Games 1996.

Andrzej Szalewicz received from representatives of Glubczyce Town Hall the title of the “Honourable Citizen of Glubczyce” for his involvement in sport. Marian Masiuk, the chief of the build and OSiR director received the golden medal of Eminent Physical Culture Activist.

President of   Regional Council  LZS, Władysław Czaczka and Jadwiga Szalewicz given medals to Zbigniew Michałek, president of Agricultural Conglomerate Public Company

for his support in the build of the sport hall.  

I would like to mention, that many other people and companies help with the build of the badminton sport hall in Głubczyce, and here are some names:  Trade  Co-op  Ltd. Budomex, Zofia Jarugowska, Bronisław Chmielewski, Eugeniusz Bugnar, Adam Wołoszyn, Roman Świderski, Dariusz Kozłowski as well as: Apoloniusz Iwanów, Krzysztof Kunicki, Jerzy Liberadzki, Krystyna Bartnik, Bożena Domagała   (Head of Physical Culture and Sport Departament of Voivodeship Office) , Władysław Czaczka,  Andrzej Walczak, Kazimierz Bernacki, Głubczyce Town Hall, Council Community of Głubczyce and its president Jan Wac and many many more, whose names I simply can’t remember.

For me and Andrzej Szalewicz these are unforgettable memories!

Jadwiga Ślawska Szalewicz

Andrzej Szalewicz

Warszawa 3.07.2013