Polish middle blocker Bartłomiej Lemański was forced off with an injury during Poland's volleyball match against Slovenia at the Hubert Jerzy Wagner Memorial on Friday.
Lemański was named in the starting lineup for Poland, but with the score at 5 to 6 in the first set, he landed awkwardly and did not jump to block. Unable to continue playing, he left the court and was replaced by teammate Jakub Nowak.
Following the incident, sports commentator Jakub Balcerzak posted on social media platform X, expressing alarm over the injury and hoping it would prove to be only a mild ankle sprain.
Impact on European Championship preparations
New details regarding Lemański's health status are expected to emerge in the hours following the match. A lengthy absence would create significant problems for head coach Nikola Grbić ahead of the upcoming tournament. Beside Lemański, the remaining middle blockers in the national squad are Szymon Jakubiszak, Jakub Nowak, and Jakub Majchrzak.
Lemański was a key contributor during Poland's victorious Nations League campaign this year, recording 28 successful blocks during the group stage before Poland defeated the United States 3 to 2 in the final with set scores of 25 to 21, 23 to 25, 25 to 27, 25 to 23, and 15 to 10. Domestically, the middle blocker previously played for PGE GiEK Skra Bełchatów before securing a transfer to Projekt Warszawa following last season.
Competition for tournament roster spot
The Polish national team is preparing for the European Championship, which takes place from September 9 to September 26. Prior to his injury, Lemański discussed his tournament ambitions in an interview with Agnieszka Niedziałek of Sport.pl. He stated that he had not joined the national team training camp doubting his chances of selection due to the presence of other squad members. He added that despite strong competition at middle blocker, he maintained confidence in his abilities from the beginning of the season and felt ready to contend for a roster spot.
Lemański now faces a race against time as medical staff assess the severity of his injury and determine whether he will recover in time to participate in the European Championship.
