Karol Bielecki is back at Industria Kielce – this time in the boardroom.
The Polish handball legend has been appointed president of KS Iskra Kielce, the club that operates the reigning Polish champions under the Industria Kielce name. He replaces acting president Paweł Papaj, who will remain on the board.
For Bielecki, the appointment marks a return to the club where he spent 11 seasons as a player. He first represented Kielce between 1999 and 2004 before returning in 2012 and remaining until his retirement in 2018.
During his time in Kielce, Bielecki won seven Polish league titles and four Polish Cups. The biggest achievement came in 2016, when he helped the club win its first EHF Champions League title. Now, almost a decade after ending his playing career, the 44-year-old has returned with a very different task.
Bielecki’s main focus will be strengthening the club’s financial and organisational foundations, while using his experience from running his own business to attract new sponsors and partners.
“I want to use the experience I gained after my playing career – running my own company and building relationships with the business world – to develop the club,” Bielecki said in a statement.
The new three-man board also includes Jakub Malke, an experienced sports manager who has primarily worked in volleyball, while Papaj remains involved.
Bielecki has made it clear that the sporting ambitions will not change. Kielce are the reigning Polish champions and one of Europe’s established Champions League clubs, but the new president wants to make sure the organisation behind the team is strong enough to sustain those ambitions.
“I helped achieve success on the court, and today I still want to do that, but in a different role,” Bielecki said.
It is a new chapter for one of the most recognisable figures in Polish handball – and a familiar face is now responsible for helping shape Kielce’s future.
⚠️ Karol Bielecki Prezesem Klubu KS ISKRA S.A.!
Zarząd utworzą również Jakub Malke oraz dotychczasowy p.o Prezeza – Paweł Papaj.
ℹ️ https://t.co/k60ECXyuoT#gramyRAZEM #dawajDAWAJ pic.twitter.com/eA2xyCrfq2
— Industria Kielce (@kielcehandball) September 9, 2026