Warsaw - They've been called hooligans and terrorists by officials from Poland's football association PZPN.

But the football fans say they are fed up with corrupt PZPN leadership they claim is holding back Polish football and has led to humiliating defeats during a failed qualifying campaign for the
2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The End PZPN initiative has some 280,000 registered members on its website koniecpzpn. pl, and has already boycotted one qualifier against Slovakia that they say cost the association up to
20,000 ticket sales.

End PZPN wants delegates to give PZPN board members a vote of no confidence at their next meeting in December, which would lead to a free election for new association leaders.

Their website says it is no longer enough to chant, "(expletive) PZPN" during games, and calls for fans to band together and not let PZPN "ruin Polish football and bring us shame."

Fans say scandals and corruption are pushing sponsors away and halting the sport's development.

Anti-PZPN chants, laced with insults and curses, have been shouted for months from stadium stands.

But the anger isn't anything new, as fans have been for years frustrated with the association marred by scandals and corruption, said End PZPN founder Filip Gielecinski.

Most recently, Sports Minister Miroslaw Drzewiecki resigned on October 9 after allegations that he lobbied on behalf of gambling companies to block a law calling for higher taxes.

Meanwhile, more than 310 people have been detained in an ongoing corruption probe that has brought charges against referees, officials and members of the football federation.

But fans' tempers soared when PZPN dismissed coach Leo Beenhakker in September after a 3-0 defeat in Slovenia that ended any hopes the Poles had of qualifying for the World Cup.

The Dutch coach, who took Poland to the European championships in 2008, said he learned of his dismissal from a reporter. He later said the recently-elected PZPN leadership tried to manipulate him while offering little support to bring change in the sport.

"Beenhakker instilled in us that spirit that we can achieve great things, though we had no great stars," Gielecinski told German Press Agency dpa. "But what could he have done when PZPN officials made his life difficult at every step."

The website was launched days after Beenhakker's dismissal by three football fans in Krakow.

"That was the moment when the frustration reached its zenith, and we fans started to speak with one voice and say we have had enough and we want changes," Gielecinski said. "And what's important is that we're getting support from more well-known people like Polish actors, TV producers and musicians."

Sponsors are also slowly signing up or taking sides.

Bank BZ WBK recently pulled its ads from a stadium in Chorzow, southern Poland, during the World Cup qualifiers. The bank said in a statement it "cannot be blind to the lack of understanding with football fans, to growing mutual aggression, on turning away and disregarding people who love football."

PZPN head Grzegorz Lato said on Monday that a group will be formed in late October that will deal with relations with fans. Officials said they were not worried about losing sponsors.

But fans say the new PZPN leadership, which took power in October 2008, had a chance to rule for one year and fulfill its promises.

PZPN head Grzegorz Lato had called in his acceptance speech in 2008 for officials to work and make Polish football "clear" of corruption.

But the End PZPN initiative says nothing has changed.

"We keep hearing about the next corruption case, the next arrests, and we've had enough," Gielecinski said. "It's time to do something about it."

End PZPN does not rule out future boycotts, and hopes its membership will reach one million in time for PZPN's next meeting of delegates in December.

The initiative says it won't endorse anyone to avoid accusations that it's taking sides.

But they want people with a love of football who are also adapt at business to take over the 18-member board, Gielecinski said.

"It's possible because something is already crumbling at PZPN. One of them yesterday stepped up to resign," Gielecinski said. "I think if all fans, famous people and actors stand against the association, then something must change." (dpa)