Thomas Bach welcomed the President of Poland in Lausanne - Image: © IOC/Christophe Moratal

On Tuesday, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, welcomed the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, to the IOC in Lausanne, one day before the inauguration of the new Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk.

During the official visit, President Bach was accompanied by the IOC delegate in Poland, Maja Woszczowska. The new President of the Polish Olympic Committee, Radoslaw Piesiewicz, was also present.

During the significant meeting, as the Polish President's schedule included the swearing-in of the new Prime Minister of his country, Donald Tusk, on Wednesday, the President of the IOC thanked the Polish President for his country's support of the Olympic and Paralympic Truce resolution for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which Poland co-sponsored. The resolution was adopted by an overwhelming majority of the United Nations (UN) Member States in the recent UN General Assembly.

The resolution calls on all Member States to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee in their efforts to use sports as a tool to promote peace, dialogue, and reconciliation in conflict zones during and after the period of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

During the official visit, President Bach was accompanied by the IOC delegate in Poland, Maja Woszczowska. The new President of the Polish Olympic Committee, Radoslaw Piesiewicz, was also present - Image: © IOC/Christophe Moratal
During the official visit, President Bach was accompanied by the IOC delegate in Poland, Maja Woszczowska. The new President of the Polish Olympic Committee, Radoslaw Piesiewicz, was also present - Image: © IOC/Christophe Moratal

As is customary, both leaders discussed the current geopolitical situation and its impact on sports, with a focus on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.


While passing by the Wall of Olympians at the Olympic House, President Duda spontaneously introduced the IOC President to the Olympian Grzegorz Kiljanek, who competed in canoe slalom at the London 2012 Olympic Games and now works in the security team of the Polish President. Kiljanek had the honor of signing the Wall of Olympians by invitation from Thomas Bach.

During the tour of the Olympic Museum with President Duda, the German IOC President highlighted Polish athletes who have left their mark there, including the mountain bike used by Maja Woszczowska in her first Olympic Games in Athens 2004; the spikes used by Irena Szewinska, the Olympic champion in the 400 meters in Montreal 1976 and the first woman to run the 400 meters in less than 50 seconds; and a glove used by the hammer thrower Anita Wlodarczyk, who has won three out of a possible six Olympic gold medals since the women's event made its debut in 2000, among others.