[REVISION HISTORY]

Siemieniec referee scandal triggers PZPN leadership crisis

Updated 11 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-09 17:03 UTC → 2026-10-10 20:48 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The controversy surrounding Jagiellonia Białystok coach Adrian Siemieniec has escalated into a leadership crisis within the Polish Football Association (PZPN). While the initial investigation focused on messages sent to referees Arkadiusz Kamil Wójcik and Paweł Raczkowski regarding player yellow card limits, the fallout has expanded to include high-ranking officials. Reports indicate significant internal friction at the PZPN, with Marcin Szulc, head of the PZPN Referees College, reportedly facing potential removal. Szulc is accused of concealing the details of the incident from PZPN President Cezary Kulesza until July. Kulesza has reportedly lost confidence in Szulc, and a search for a successor is currently underway. Adding to the legal and professional tension, suspended referee Kamil Wójcik has filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office accusing Marcin Szulc of mobbing. Wójcik claims he faced professional retaliation, such as being assigned fewer matches and having injuries attributed to him, following a leadership change in which Wójcik had been a candidate for the chairmanship. Szulc has denied all allegations, describing them as “subjective opinions” and stating that no mobbing occurred. Regarding disciplinary actions, the Ekstraklasa League Commission has handed Siemieniec a six-match suspension, a 100,000 PLN fine, and a two-year ban from Ekstraklasa competitions, which is suspended for three years. During the six-match suspension, Siemieniec is prohibited from being present on the bench or in the locker rooms. Jagiellonia Białystok plans to have coaching staff member Mikołaj Łuczak lead the team from the sidelines, though Managing Director Maciej Szymański noted the club is seeking clarification on regulations to allow Siemieniec to communicate indirectly with the team. The ban applies only to Ekstraklasa matches; Siemieniec remains eligible for the Europa League and the Polish Cup. In a recent Ekstraklasa match, Jagiellonia Białystok suffered a 3-1 defeat against Górnik Zabrze at the Chorten Arena.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.