Bartosz Zmarzlik and Wojciech Stępniewski in TOP-10 of Polish Sports 2024
10.01.2025 08:57
Advance from 10th to 8th place and drop from 7th to 9th – this is the record of Wojciech Stępniewski and Bartosz Zmarzlik in the last two years.
Four-time Individual World Speedway Champion Bartosz Zmarzlik, representing ORLEN OIL Motor Lublin in the PGE Ekstraliga, and the president of the Speedway Ekstraliga, Wojciech Stępniewski, have made it into the “top ten” of the most influential people in Polish sports according to Forbes for the year 2024.
Wojciech Stępniewski climbed in the ranking, while Bartosz Zmarzlik dropped, but they both remain in the TOP-10 classification, which underscores the strong and stable position of speedway.
Krzysztof Domaradzki describes the ranking in Forbes. It is based on the analysis of recognizability, image, and media presence of people associated with Polish sports, prepared by Pentagon Research, as well as on the assessment by a committee. Experts evaluated the candidates according to three criteria: organization and management, financing, and promotion.
Forbes writes that “traditionally both volleyball and speedway have strong representations, which have been bringing much joy to fans for years. Volleyball is represented in the ranking by, among others, the president of the Polish Volleyball Federation Sebastian Świderski (6th position), men’s national team coach Nikola Grbić (18th), and the outstanding receiver Wilfredo León (37th). Speedway has two representatives in the top ten: the president of the Speedway Ekstraliga Wojciech Stępniewski is 8th, followed closely by the record-breaking Bartosz Zmarzlik.”
– Volleyball and speedway share a similar fan profile, which is beneficial for sponsors. Entire families watch both sports from the stands. A certain difference is that volleyball enjoys great interest across all of Poland, while speedway holds a very strong position in speedway cities like Wrocław, Lublin, or Częstochowa – explains Adam Pawlukiewicz, Executive Director of Pentagon Research, columnist of Przegląd Sportowy.
The most influential people in Polish sports according to Forbes:
- Robert Lewandowski (football player)
- Iga Świątek (tennis player)
- Sławomir Nitras (Minister of Sports)
- Adam Małysz (President of PZN)
- Czesław Lang (organizer of Tour de Pologne)
- Sebastian Świderski (president of PZPS)
- Zygmunt Solorz (owner of Cyfrowy Polsat)
- Wojciech Stępniewski (President of the Speedway Ekstraliga)
- Bartosz Zmarzlik (ORLEN OIL MOTOR Lublin)
- Zbigniew Boniek (former president of PZPN)
