The National Boxing
Gala, announced as the biggest boxing event in Polish history, is to take place
at Warsaw’s National Stadium on May 25th. Minister Anna Maria Anders – daughter
of the legendary World War II general – who is now the Prime Minister’s
plenipotentiary for international dialogue has extended her patronage over the
event. Curiously,
the gala features Artur Binkowski, a Polish-Canadian neo-Nazi.
The
bouts are to be accompanied by music performances by pop stars including the
famous Polish rapper Liroy who is also a Member of Parliament. The host and
ring announcer is to be Michael Buffer, known for his collaboration with Donald
Trump. The organizer, Marcin Najman, an ex European champion in kickboxing,
says that the gala constitutes a form of celebration of the 100th anniversary
of Poland’s regaining of independence.
The now 43-year old
Binkowski reached quarter-finals at the Olympic Games in Sydney, representing
Canada, where he lives. His biggest claim to fame was a minor role as a boxer
in the 2005 movie ‘Cinderella Man’ with Russell Crowe and Renée Zellweger. Since
2012 he boxes mainly in Poland and is known to have had problems with the law. In a recent incident in
Canada, he was arrested and held for a month in February this year.
During
a press conference at the National Stadium, Binkowski made a speech in which he called for a ‘pure
white Poland’ and condemned politicians whom he does not recognize as ‘true
Poles’. He also paid homage to a group of supporters whom he called ‘my
skinheads’.
In his social media
posts Binkowski frequently promotes songs from the repertoire of the neo-Nazi
band Honor, he also posts his own comments with racist and antisemitic contents,
e.g. ‘We are still under partition of foreign powers!! And this has gone on for
almost 300 years. The first time, they raped us physically!! After World War II
we were occupied by Russia. In 1989 our mothers and fathers rejected Moscow,
Russia and Communism. Since 1989 to this time and it’s almost 2020, we are
ruled by Jews and Israel!!’ In another post he comments: ‘Lefties, Judases,
poisoned brains (…) Jews are making them into idiots and traitors. They should
be stood up against a wall and shot.’
The organizers of the
Gala have not backed out of featuring Binkowski who is to fight with Najman. His name is seen on the
official internet site of the National Stadium. The ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association
has been asked to intervene in this matter by a correspondent who wrote: ‘This
is simply shocking! This man wipes his face with the Polish flag, shouts abuse
and promotes a neo-Nazi group, while
himself sporting a cap with the >Poland resists< anchor symbol or a T-shirt depicting the
Warsaw Uprising. I myself practice martial arts and see that this imbecile is
becoming a role-model for young boys.’
- ‘The National Stadium
is not a private playground but a public edifice built before the 2012 European
Football Championships’ - says Rafal Pankowski, who coordinated the anti-racist
campaign ‘RESPECT Diversity’, carried out by the ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association as
part of the UEFA Euro 2012 Social Responsibility Programme. – ‘If the
organizers do not change their mind, we call upon Madam Anders to immediately
withdraw her support for the event.’
- ‘There is no place for
discrimination in sports. It should unite people, not divide them on the basis
of origin or skin colour. There must be no place for hatred. The organizers of the
National Boxing Gala and the hosts of the National Stadium should think this
over’ - adds Piotr Ciolkowski, a sports educator who co-leads the ‘Let’s Kick
Racism out of the Stadiums’ initiative of the ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association.
Witold Liliental, a
Canadian-based friend and cooperator of the ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association, says: -
‘I have some doubts as to a boxing gala being the best way of celebration of an
important national anniversary. As to the idea of a known racist and white
supremacist being the star of the show, I have not the slightest doubts. It is
a profanation of all that I have been taught:
tolerance, respect and decency. Binkowski’s behaviour brings shame to
both Poland and Canada. I wonder why some known artists agree to perform at
such an event. This gala with this man must not be allowed to happen.’
The ‘NEVER AGAIN’
Association is an independent anti-racist organization, founded in 1996. It conducts campaigns
such as ‘Music Against Racism’, and ‘Let’s Kick Racism out of the Stadiums’.
Together with the Fare network, the ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association coordinated
anti-racist educational activities around UEFA Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.
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