The latest episode of the videocast “Warszawa Mówi” was dedicated to the history and present day of sports in the capital. The conversation was led by Kamil Dąbrowa from City Hall, with guests representing the Skwer Sportów Miejskich foundation. During the same period, until November 22, the “Miasto w ruchu” (City in Motion) exhibition, prepared by the same organization, is on display at the “Zodiak” Architecture Pavilion in Pasaż Wiecha. The article is dated October 26, 2026.
Sports History in Urban Space
The exhibition in the Zodiak Pavilion presents the development of Warsaw sports from the 19th century to the present day. The exhibit includes, among other things, photographs of the Dynasy cycling track, sports clothing from the early 20th century, and materials regarding the unfulfilled plans to host the Olympic Games in Warsaw. For videocast viewers, the historical themes raised in the conversation were also interesting, such as the beginnings of sports with rowing competitions on the Vistula River or the significance of the Peace Race for the city. Experts' voices pointed to important urban aspects, such as the role of embankments as movement zones and the popularity of calisthenics. Grzegorz Gądek from the foundation describes the area under the Świętokrzyska Bridge as a place that attracts passersby to improvised workouts, while also providing shelter from heat and rain.
Statistics and Public Health Challenges
The data presented in the episode raises alarms about the scale of the lack of physical activity problem. According to WHO information, only about 21% of Polish teenagers aged 11–15 meet the recommendation for 60 minutes of daily activity. The situation is also concerning in the context of body weight – between 2014 and 2019, the percentage of overweight individuals in the 15–19 age group increased from 13% to 20%, and in the 20–24 age group from 22% to 29%.
Infrastructure and Sports Funding in Warsaw
City authorities are taking steps to increase the accessibility of sports infrastructure. The city’s resources include 389 outdoor gyms, including 94 of the street workout/calisthenics type. The “Open Pitches” program also promotes physical activity by allowing the use of school sports fields outside of class hours; their locations are available on the Sports Facility Map.
A significant investment is the funding for sports clubs. In 2025, PLN 22.2 million was allocated to the “Sports Training and Competition for Children and Youth” program. These funds enabled grants to be awarded to 199 entities. Within the framework of these activities, 29,081 participants were trained in 50 sports disciplines.