Pogoń Świerzawa and GKS Cement Raciborowice are teams playing in the Jelenia Góra regional league. They met in the second round of the competition, on August 17 in Świerzawa. Raciborowice won the match 2–0. There would be nothing unusual about this were it not for the fact that both teams are coached by the same coach, Arkadiusz Paluch.
The fact was immediately picked up by various media outlets covering sport and football (Gol24, Meczyki, FutbolNews, Transfery.info). An article on the subject also appeared in Gazeta Wrocławska. Memes on the subject also appeared online.
Can the same coach train two teams competing against each other?
It should be explained that this situation is not contrary to the regulations. The regulations do not prohibit a coach from training two teams that play in the same division.
The situation nevertheless sparked controversy within the football community and prompted discussions in the comments. Should the regulations address this issue and prohibit such situations? Opinions on the subject are divided.
The club from Raciborowice published a Statement on the matter. It appeared on the club’s Facebook profile. We publish it in full below:
Statement of the GKS Raciborowice Board
In response to the heightened public interest in the situation that took place last Saturday during the Pogoń Świerzawa–GKS Raciborowice match, we would like to express our full support for coach Arkadiusz Paluch.
Coach Arkadiusz Paluch successfully leads our team, demonstrating the highest level of professionalism and commitment at every step.
During the aforementioned match, in which teams led by the same coach faced each other, we observed no inappropriate reactions or actions on the part of coach Paluch. On the contrary, his conduct was exemplary, and the decisions he made were considered and appropriately adapted to the exceptional situation. The coach acted in accordance with the principles of fair play, taking care both of the players’ welfare and the sporting nature of the competition.
As the board of GKS Raciborowice, we would also like to emphasize that we operate fully transparently and in accordance with the law. The claim that our coach led two teams simultaneously is untrue, because our team was officially led in this match by a licensed assistant, ensuring that his actions were transparent and compliant with the applicable regulations.
With full conviction, we stand behind our coach and thank him for his continued dedication, professionalism, and contribution to the development of our teams.
The GKS Raciborowice Board