rpazdzierski600
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WARSAW, July 4 (Reuters) - Poland parliamentary officials are launching an investigation into the country's Football Association (PZPN) following match-rigging allegations and poor results by the national team.
Miroslaw Drzewiecki, head of parliament's sports committee, summoned top PZPN officials, including chief Michal Listkiewicz, for talks next Tuesday. This could lead to an eventual suspension of the FA by the sports ministry.
'The situation in Polish football was and still is visibly not good. There are mounting problems and questions which are not answered. Things must change in PZPN to have better results and no scandals,' Drzewiecki told Reuters.
'I believe we will have constructive dialogue on Tuesday. If not, I can't rule out that caretaker management will be named,' he said, adding that only the sports ministry had the power to suspend PZPN management and not his committee.
Alleged match-fixing by players in a relegation play-off last month has tarred soccer's already battered image, as have unclear business dealings by Listkiewicz with a construction company after becoming PZPN chief.
Listkiewicz, a former international referee, denies any wrongdoing and says Poland's league is free of corruption.
'We want to discuss all the hard issues concerning Polish football. Afterwards we will make proper decisions,' Andrzej Krasnicki, the head of Poland's sports federation, told daily Przeglad Sportowy, which broke the story.
Asked if a decision to suspend PZPN management was on the cards, Krasnicki, who will participate in next week's talks, said: 'Everything is possible.'
PZPN officials were not available for comment and did not return phone calls, but Listkiewicz told Przeglad Sportowy he believed the row would quickly blow over and Poland would avoid another 'football war'.
In 1999, Poland's then sports minister threatened to suspend FA managers, forcing communist-era boss Marian Dziurowicz to call new FA elections, which Listkiewicz won.
In response to the power-struggle in Polish football, European soccer's governing body UEFA threatened to suspend Poland from international competition.
Poland's national team has struggled to gain consistency since crashing out of last year's World Cup in the group phase. Poland are fourth in Euro 2004 qualifying Group Four, with almost no chance of qualifying for the finals.
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