Polish Olympic medalist Władimir Semirunnij changes surname, sparking Kremlin reaction and presidential gift

Władimir Semirunnij, a Polish speed skater and medalist at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, officially announced a change of surname to the more Polish-sounding Siemirunny. The athlete of Russian origin decided on this step to make life easier for his future wife and to avoid recurring errors in the transliteration of his data. During a meeting at the Presidential Palace, the athlete conveyed this information to the head of state, which caused considerable surprise among the gathered guests. Transliteration of the previous form of the surname caused official difficulties, so the new version with the -nny ending is intended to be better suited to Polish pronunciation. Semirunnij, who has represented Poland since receiving citizenship, became one of the stars of the last Olympics. The Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo took place in February 2026, and the Polish team won a number of medals in ice disciplines. Władimir Semirunnij joined the national team after going through the procedure of changing national colors, which is a common practice in speed skating. Previous cases of naturalization of athletes in this discipline aroused less emotion in Poland than the current declaration of full surname assimilation.

The skater's decision to abandon the Russian form of his surname resonated widely in Moscow, provoking a sharp reaction from the local authorities. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced in an official statement that Vladimir Putin would personally deal with the matter and take appropriate steps against the athlete. Russian media and politicians perceived this gesture as a political manifestation and a severing of ties with the medalist's country of origin. „Władimir Putin podejmie kroki w tej sprawie” (Vladimir Putin will take steps in this matter) — Dmitry Peskov via Interia It is speculated that the Kremlin's reaction may involve formally stripping the athlete of his Russian citizenship, which he has held alongside his Polish passport. The athlete himself is trying to calm the mood, although he admits that the scale of the uproar in his former homeland is significant.

During a ceremonial lunch with Olympians, Polish President Karol Nawrocki presented the skater with a unique gift in the form of a Polish-made watch. This is a symbolic gesture because the President himself, who took office in 2025, wears an identical model of the timepiece daily. Semirunnij did not hide his surprise at the gift and during a conversation with the media, he eagerly showed off the received present. Karol Nawrocki emphasized in this way his appreciation for the athlete's successes achieved under the white-and-red flag. The meeting was an official thank you to the team for their performances in Italy, but it was the declaration about the surname change that dominated the corridor conversations. 2026 (year) — the year the athlete won an Olympic medal

Despite the joyful atmosphere in the Presidential Palace, the athlete felt the need to explain the situation to the authorities of Polish sport. Władimir Semirunnij personally apologized to the president of the Polish Speed Skating Association for the media confusion caused by his private declarations about changing his official identity. He admitted that he did not expect such a violent reaction from public opinion, especially in an international context. The association's president accepted the apology, stressing that the most important things remain sports results and representing the country with dignity on the track. „Problemy z moim mogłaby mieć przyszła żona” (My future wife could have problems with mine) — Władimir Semirunnij via Sportowe Fakty The skater emphasized that he now wants to focus on further training, already under the new surname Siemirunny, which he intends to formalize in the near future.