TVP’s decision regarding Przemysław Babiarz
TVP announced that a meeting between the general director of Telewizja Polska, Tomasz Sygut, and the director of TVP Sport, Jakub Kwiatkowski, took place in Warsaw on Thursday. Przemysław Babiarz“As a result of the talks, at the request of the director of TVP Sport, Tomasz Sygut lifted the commentator’s suspension from covering the Olympic Games in Paris,” it was written.
In a statement sent to PAP, it was indicated that “the parties jointly determined that the fundamental rule of objectivity and journalistic ethics is to separate information from subjective commentary. This applies to every reporter, presenter or commentator.”
When will Przemysław Babiarz return to commentating?
It was also reported that the return of Przemysław Babiarz to the coverage of the Paris Games will take place next Friday during the broadcast of athletics competitions.
The suspension of Przemysław Babiarz
Babiarz was suspended for the way he commented on the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris. “A world without heaven, nations, religions and this is the vision of this peace that is to encompass everyone. This is the vision of communism, unfortunately” – Babiarz said on air, summing up the song “Imagine” by John Lennon, which was one of the points of the artistic part of the opening. TVP considered these words “scandalous”.
In a statement published on Monday evening, the head of TVP Sport, Jakub Kwiatkowski, wrote that “sport should be free from politics”. As the head of TVP Sport argues, “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”.
Open letter to TVP
In an open letter published on Tuesday to Tomasz Sygut, general director of Telewizja Polska SA in liquidation, athletes and journalists from TVP Sport wrote: “We ask – we, colleagues, but also we, viewers, fans and athletes – for Przemysław Babiarz to be able to cover the Olympic Games in Paris. Przemysław Babiarz works primarily for the fans. They are the ones waiting for a sporting celebration, for Polish success, for tears of joy and beautiful stories. They are waiting for Przemysław Babiarz’s commentary.”
On Tuesday, the Ombudsman Marcin Wiącek asked the general director of TVP SA in liquidation, Tomasz Sygut, for explanations “in connection with the suspension of editor Przemysław Babiarz after his comment during the broadcast of the opening of the Olympic Games in Paris”. (PAP)
