Former Polish Tennis Federation president Miroslaw Skrzypczynski claims that Iga Swiatek demanded money from the organization ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Last year, Swiatek made her Olympic debut by representing Poland in Tokyo.
According to Skrzypczynski, Swiatek demanded to be paid 1.5 million Polish Zloty (PLN) – when converted to US dollars it’s an amount of 336.390. At the Tokyo Olympics, Swiatek beat Mona Barthel in the first round before losing to Paula Badosa in her following match.
“We had a plan before the Olympics in Tokyo but Iga Swiatek and Lukasz Kubot came and said: ‘President, everything is fine, but who will pay us for it.’ We are going to those tournaments where money is waiting for us, because we have to live.
The plan broke down because we didn’t get the money to prepare. We are unable to tell Iga and give her 1.5 million PLN for preparations. Then athletes come to the Olympics and treat them as if they came because they had to,” Skrzypczynski said, per Dominik Senkowski.
Miroslaw Skrzypczynski, president of Polish Tennis Association, said in polish parliament about Iga Swiatek @iga_swiatek :
“We had a plan before the Olympics in Tokyo but Iga Swiatek and Lukasz Kubot came and said: “President, everything is fine, but who will pay us for it” 1/3 — Dominik Senkowski (@dsenkowski07) December 12, 2022
Skrzypczynski: “Then athletes come to the Olympics and treat them as if they came because they had to” 3/3 — Dominik Senkowski (@dsenkowski07) December 12, 2022
Skrzypczynski resigned after Swiatek called for action against him
In November, Polish MP Katarzyna Kotula told Polish media that Skrzypczynski sexually abused her when she was just 13.
The news rocked the Polish tennis community and Swiatek released a statement: “I feel that as a current leader of women’s tennis I can’t be silent about particular matters. I remember that I appreciate having the freedom to decide whether I want to speak up about something or not.
When it comes to physical violence or emotional abuse the most important issue is thinking and being sensitive about the victims. And when we speak up about something happening we need to think about them first and most of all.
I am trying to do this the best way I can. I’m against violence in sports, in tennis, in every discipline and in everyday life. That’s why I consider the articles about the president of the Polish Tennis Association as a serious matter.”
Shortly after Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz called for the allegations to be taken seriously, Skrzypczynski resigned from his position as the Polish tennis chief.
