The Polish Fair Play Awards ceremony took place last Friday at the Olympic Centre, the headquarters of the NOC of Poland.

The annual contest organized by the POC Fair Play Club had this year a very special flavour, as it is its 50th jubilee.

The President of the POC Fair Play Club Halina Zdebska–Biziewska welcomed all the guests and recalled the history of the contest.

POC Secretary General Adam Krzesiński, pointed out the importance of the Fair Play rules in contemporary sport as well as in daily life. Without clear competition and behaviour real sport does not exist.

Daria Leba was distinguished with the Fair Play Diploma in the category of “Act of Fair Play 2016” for her behaviour during the regional Pit Bike competition.

Despite her age, 15, she presented a very mature attitude and gave away the second place in overall classification to her rival who could not finish the last race due to the technical problem with her motorbike. During the medal ceremony Daria officially passed the title of vice – champion to her colleague who – in her opinion – deserved it more than she. The referees agreed, and the protocol of the competition was changed.

Tadeusz Olszański, the initiator of the Gentleman of Sport Fair Play and the beginning of the contest in 1963, was awarded the “Willi Daume Honorary Diploma” by Halina Zdebska–Biziewska, POC Secretary General and Kajetan Hądzelek, who has been active in the international organisation CIFP for many years.

Individual diplomas for the category: ”Whole Sporting Career and Admirable life afterwards” were awarded to:

Andrzej KRZESIŃSKI ( athletics)

Marian WIĘCKOWSKI  (cycling)

Antoni ZAJKOWSKI (judo)

Józef ZAPĘDZKI (shooting)

Wiesław ZIEMIANIN (biathlon)

Individual diplomas for the promotion of Fair Play were awarded to:

Jerzy Królicki (rugby)

Szymon Krasicki (skiing)