Polish journalist dies at EHF Champions League final in Cologne
Paweł Kotwica (Photo by Radio Kielce)
COLOGNE, June 20, 2023 - The sports media world mourns the death of Paweł Kotwica. The experienced Polish sports journalist (50) collapsed in the media tribune during the second half of the Men’s EHF Champions League final at Cologne between SC Magdeburg (Germany) and Barlinek Industria Kielce (Poland) on June 18. Despite immediate medical service by the team doctor of Kielce and the medical staff in the arena, Kotwica died in a hospital on Sunday night.
TRAGIC INCIDENT The tragic incident happened when the score was 22:20 in favour of Kielce. The Champions League final was suspended for 13 minutes, a black curtain covered the situation, several doctors fought for the life of the journalist. Kotwica was carried out of the stands to the hospital in the arena. Some minutes after the end of the match, which Magdeburg won 30:29 after extra-time, the European Handball Federation announced the death of Pawel Kotwica, who had worked for 30 years for “Echo Dnia”.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and relatives,” the EHF wrote in their media release.
NO ONE WILL BRING YOU BACK “Paweł, we will come back here and we will win, but no one will give you back to us ... Sincere condolences to the family. Nothing is more important today,” the Kielce club wrote on their social media platforms.
HE LOVED HANDBALL MORE THAN LIFE “Paweł Kotwica was a great journalist, an outstanding specialist in handball, which he loved more than life. We talked for hours about matches, players, tactics. The entire editorial office of "Echo Dnia" is crying, it is difficult to express our grief,” the newspaper wrote on their website. He was also a member of the Polish Sports Writers Association. He was born in Kielce on September 19, 1972.
A MINUTE OF SILENCE The EHF cancelled the post-match press conference, instead both teams held a minute of silence for Pawel Kotwica.
SAD DAY Under the shock of this tragic incident, the final result became secondary: 21 years after winning their first and until Sunday only EHF Champions League title, SC Magdeburg were on the winners’ podium again. Coach Bennet Wiegert, who won the trophy as a player in 2002, is the mastermind behind this success. Magdeburg’s Icelander Gisli Kristjansson was awarded MVP of the final tournament after a severe shoulder injury in the semi-final, he steered his team to the podium 24 hours later. Magdeburg had beaten big favourites FC Barcelona in the semi-final after extra-time and penalty shoot-out 40:39, while Kielce defeated Paris Saint-Germain on the way to their third ever Champions League final. One year after the final defeat against Barcelona after penalty shoot-out, this year they were on the winners’ way again, but missed the last three shots in extra-time.
But everything was overshadowed by the death of Pawel Kotwica, the big party in the fully packed arena (20,000 fans) turned into a nightmare.
TRAGIC INCIDENT The tragic incident happened when the score was 22:20 in favour of Kielce. The Champions League final was suspended for 13 minutes, a black curtain covered the situation, several doctors fought for the life of the journalist. Kotwica was carried out of the stands to the hospital in the arena. Some minutes after the end of the match, which Magdeburg won 30:29 after extra-time, the European Handball Federation announced the death of Pawel Kotwica, who had worked for 30 years for “Echo Dnia”.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and relatives,” the EHF wrote in their media release.
NO ONE WILL BRING YOU BACK “Paweł, we will come back here and we will win, but no one will give you back to us ... Sincere condolences to the family. Nothing is more important today,” the Kielce club wrote on their social media platforms.
HE LOVED HANDBALL MORE THAN LIFE “Paweł Kotwica was a great journalist, an outstanding specialist in handball, which he loved more than life. We talked for hours about matches, players, tactics. The entire editorial office of "Echo Dnia" is crying, it is difficult to express our grief,” the newspaper wrote on their website. He was also a member of the Polish Sports Writers Association. He was born in Kielce on September 19, 1972.
A MINUTE OF SILENCE The EHF cancelled the post-match press conference, instead both teams held a minute of silence for Pawel Kotwica.
SAD DAY Under the shock of this tragic incident, the final result became secondary: 21 years after winning their first and until Sunday only EHF Champions League title, SC Magdeburg were on the winners’ podium again. Coach Bennet Wiegert, who won the trophy as a player in 2002, is the mastermind behind this success. Magdeburg’s Icelander Gisli Kristjansson was awarded MVP of the final tournament after a severe shoulder injury in the semi-final, he steered his team to the podium 24 hours later. Magdeburg had beaten big favourites FC Barcelona in the semi-final after extra-time and penalty shoot-out 40:39, while Kielce defeated Paris Saint-Germain on the way to their third ever Champions League final. One year after the final defeat against Barcelona after penalty shoot-out, this year they were on the winners’ way again, but missed the last three shots in extra-time.
But everything was overshadowed by the death of Pawel Kotwica, the big party in the fully packed arena (20,000 fans) turned into a nightmare.
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