Marczułajtis-Walczak, who competed at three Olympics as a snowboarder before becoming a member of the Sejm, the Lower House of the Polish Parliament, was speaking here on the second day of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) orientation seminar.

Showing a strong awareness of IOC rules which are being emphasised during this three-day event, she claimed holding Alpine skiing events over the Slovakian border is necessary due to technical changes which leave Poland unable to host them.

"The leading part is Kraków, but due to topographical and geographical reasons, we asked Slovakian partners to sub-contract alpine skiing," she told insidethegames.

"When Zakopane bid for the 2006 Games they planned to hold Alpine skiing in Poland, but since then the International Skiing Federation (FIS) rules have changed and we are not able to provide downhill, Super G or giant slalom here.

"We don't have a slope which could provide all of the technical requirements of an 800 metre drop between the start and the finish.

"We thought that the skiers should be together so we asked Slovakia to provide help and to use their part of the Tatra Mountain range. 

"It's not a joint bid and has a strong leading composition from Kraków but we are happy to have the Slovak team on board from the beginning of the bid process."

Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak will use her Winter Olympic and political experience to strengthen Krakow's 2022 bid ©Facebook


The IOC have never previously sanctioned such a proposal for a Games encompassing two countries but, as Marczułajtis-Walczak pointed out, such a possibility is permitted under Rule 35.2 of the Olympic Charter. 

This reads that "for the Olympic Winter Games, when for geographical or topographical reasons it is impossible to organise certain events or disciplines of a sport in the country of the host city, the IOC may, on an exceptional basis, authorise the holding of them in a bordering country."

The bid is very different from the situation at the 2012 European Football Championships, where Poland hosted a joint tournament with a country, Ukraine, ironically now among Kraków's rivals for the 2022 Olympics and Paralympics.

While Euro 2012 was a fully joint event, 2022 will be Kraków led ©AFP/Getty Images


Since Marczułajtis-Walczak's home city of Zakopane lost out to Turin 14 years ago in the race for the 2006 Games, many other things have changed in addition to skiing rules. 

As well as Polish entry into both the European Union and the Schengen Area, which has broadened both international profile and scope, this principally involves stronger Government support including the country's Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Kraków, Poland's second largest city behind Warsaw  which succeeded it as the country's capital in 1569, has another major advantage due to its "big potential as a strong brand and being well known as a cultural city", Marczułajtis-Walcza claimed.

Support from prominent Polish stars, including Adam Malysz, a four-time individual world champion ski jumper, and the two-time Paralympic cross-country skiing gold medallist Katarzyna Rogowiec was described as a further early boost.

Kraków-based Paralympic cross-country skier Katarzyna Rogowiec, a double Paralympic gold medallist, has already expressed support for the 2022 bid ©Getty Images


Due to her sporting background, including finishing fourth at Salt Lake City 2002 as well as participation at Nagano 1998 and Turin 2006, Marczułajtis-Walczak is well positioned to understand the needs of a successful bid. 

She believes that "an athletics background helps in understanding the Olympic Movement and the Olympic family because topics and issues are quite complicated for people who have not been involved."

Given her athletic past and current status as a politician, a comparison with London 2012 bid leader Sebastian Coe is inevitable. 

But Marczułajtis-Walczak believes she has more in common with Gianna Angelopoulos, who led Athens' successful bid to host the 2004 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

"When I read her book I think there is a lot of common ground and she mentioned many issues and challenges which seemed relevant to me," she said.