30.07.2024, 06:10
“Once again, I am no longer able to defend Przemek and I have accepted the decision of the Polish Television authorities,” wrote Jakub Kwiatkowski, director of TVP Sport, on social media (photo: Leszek Szymański/PAP, photo: Tomasz Gzell/PAP)
Jakub Kwiatkowski, director of TVP Sport, commented on the decision of Telewizja Polska to suspend Przemysław Babiarz. Kwiatkowski stated that during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, Babiarz “betrayed the mission entrusted to him”. At the same time, TVP Sport journalists are preparing a statement in defense of their editorial colleague who has been suspended until the end of the Paris Games – this is reported by Przegląd Sportowy Onet and Sportowe Fakty (a service of Wirtualna Polska).
The head of TVP Sport has spoken out about the suspension of Przemysław Babiarz from social media by Telewizja Polska. On Monday evening, he posted a lengthy entry on the subject on platform X.
Kwiatkowski on Babiarz’s suspension: “I’m sorry”
“Several dozen hours have passed since Friday’s opening ceremony of the games. During this time, many words were said, spoken with great emotion,” Kwiatkowski, director of TVP Sport since December 2023, begins his post. “I was also emotional and it took some time to calmly respond to this situation. Sport should be free from politics. One of the most beautiful values of sport is that it has the power to trigger positive emotions and connect people, regardless of their views and personal beliefs.”
Read also: Storm after Przemysław Babiarz’s suspension. “He did something stupid, but the suspension is a scandal”
And further: “This idea has guided me since the beginning of my management of TVP Sport. I treat it as an obligation not only to my superiors, but above all to all our viewers and recipients. It is also guided by all our employees, because although we differ in some matters, we are united by a passion that we want to share with others.”
Several dozen hours have passed since Friday’s opening ceremony of the games. During this time, many words were said, spoken with great emotion. Emotions accompanied me as well and it took some time to calmly respond to this situation. Sport should be…
— Jakub Kwiatkowski (@KwiatkowskiKuba) July 29, 2024
Later, Kwiatkowski refers directly to the issue of Babiarz’s suspension. “I highly value and respect Przemysław Babiarz as an outstanding journalist, which does not change the fact that with his commentary he betrayed the mission that we, as sports journalists of public television, were entrusted with. A sports commentator should leave the viewer room for their own interpretation, and not impose his narrative.”
“I am particularly sorry because I was the person who convinced TVP management a few months ago that it was worth continuing to use Przemek’s vast experience and knowledge. I talked about it with Przemek and I believed that he would be able to separate his personal views from his work and do it as best he could. However, this did not happen, so once again I am no longer able to stand in Przemek’s defense and I have accepted the decision of the management of Telewizja Polska,” we read further.
The director of TVP Sport clarifies that Babiarz was not fired from TVP Sport, but only suspended from his role as a commentator of the Olympic Games. “He was not suspended for his views, because each of us has the right to them. Expressing them publicly is, however, a pretext for political disputes, for which sport should be a springboard, not another spark. The last few days are an unpleasant example of this,” Jakub Kwiatkowski ends his statement.
TVP Sport journalists are preparing a magazine
Officially, only Filip Czyszanowski expressed support for the 60-year-old commentator under his real name, posting a post on the social networking site X with the hashtag #MuremZaBabiarzem.
Read also: Maciej Świrski, Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council, intervenes in the matter of Przemysław Babiarz’s suspension
“As we have learned, TVP Sport is currently preparing a joint statement from journalists from this station, in which colleagues from the sports editorial office are to speak out on the suspension of Przemysław Babiarz and call for his reinstatement to work on sports broadcasts from the Olympic Games in Paris” – was written in an article by the WP Sportowe Fakty website.
It is not clear whether the letter will be signed by the senior editor Dariusz Szpakowski and the deputy director of TVP Sport Jarosław Idzi, who, together with Przemysław Babiarz, commented on the opening ceremony of the games, when words were said about the “communist vision” of John Lennon’s song “Imagine”.
The main board of the Association of Polish Journalists commented on the matter separately, describing the decision to suspend Babiarz as scandalous and incomprehensible, accusing the TVP authorities of “enormous censorship and incompetence”.
Read also: Telewizja Republika with an increase in viewership on terrestrial television
(HAD, MAC, 30.07.2024)
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