Polish referee Szymon Marciniak who was earlier handed the responsibility of officiating the Champions League final will still be the man with the whistle on the 10th of June.
The 42-year-old has sent out an apology for speaking at an event organized by Polish far-right leader Slawomir Mentzen.
Manchester City face Inter Milan in Istanbul next Saturday and the man who officiated the 2022 World Cup final would still be in charge of this showdown.
There were requests for Szymon Marciniak to be removed as center referee for the final after he was seen at the “Everest” business conference in Katowice on 29th of May.
Following the investigation conducted by UEFA, they said: “we unequivocally reject the values promoted by a group linked to this conference”.
Anyway, the Płock born referee said he had been “gravely misled” and “completely unaware” about the affiliations of the conference.
Marciniak said in his apology statement: “I want to express my deepest apologies for my involvement and any distress or harm it may have caused.”
Poland’s Never Again anti-racism association had requested for the referee to distance himself from far-right activities.
Co-chairman of the far right and libertarian Confederation party, Slawomir Mentzen has been keen on his libertarian economic standpoint in recent times.
However, he stirred up controversy in 2019 when he revealed his five-point slogan, which was anti-Semitic and homophobic.
The co-chairman of the far right and libertarian confederation party said the business gathering had “nothing to do with politics”, and found the “denunciation” of Marciniak “absurd”.
The Sport minister of Poland Kamil Bortniczak and the country’s deputy foreign minister also came to the defense of the referee.
Referee Szymon Marciniak said he didn’t know the gathering had links with extreme-right movement
In his apology message to those who have been annoyed by his appearance in the conference, Referee Szymon Marciniak spoke about how he didn’t know the conference was associated with a Polish far-right movement.
He said: “Upon reflection and further investigation, it has become evident that I was gravely misled and completely unaware of the true nature and affiliations of the event in question.
“I had no knowledge that it was associated a Polish extreme-right movement.
“Had I been aware of this fact, I would have categorically declined the invitation. It is important to understand that the values promoted by this movement are entirely contrary to my personal beliefs and the principles I strive to uphold in my life.
“I am deeply remorseful for any perception that my participation may have contradicted them.
“I wholeheartedly condemn any form of hate, discrimination, or intolerance, as they have no place within the sport or society as a whole.
“Moving forward, I pledge to be more vigilant in scrutinising the events and organisations with which I associate myself.
“I am committed to learning from this experience and ensuring that such lapses in judgment do not occur in the future.
“Lastly, I extend my sincere apologies to the clubs, players, fans, colleagues, officials and organisations who place their trust in me.
“I fully comprehend that my actions have had repercussions beyond personal disappointment, and I am fully prepared to accept any consequences resulting from my ill-advised participation.”
The governing body of European football, UEFA, examined the matter and said it accepted Szymon Marciniak’s apology.
They also stated the Never Again group requested that Mr. Marciniak remain in his role as the referee for the upcoming UEFA Champions League final, firmly asserting that removing him would undermine the promotion of anti-discrimination.
UEFA stated: “Based on the information provided, Uefa confirms that Marciniak will fulfill his role as the referee for the Champions League final.”
They added: “UEFA is dedicated to fostering an inclusive, respectful and fair-play football environment, and stands firmly against hate, discrimination, and intolerance.
“We reiterate our commitment to promoting unity, respect, and fair play within the beautiful game.”
In a letter to the president of UEFA Aleksander Ceferin, Bortniczuk said the business gathering didn’t have any connections with politics.
Bortniczuk indicated that the referee had delivered a 45-minute inspirational message at the gathering.
The minister of sport and tourism also said the referee had no contact with the extreme-right leader at the conference.
Deputy foreign minister of Poland Pawel Jablonski said false accusations against Marciniak are “an immense scandal”.
Referee Szymon Marciniak officiated the ultimate encounter of the 2022 FIFA World Cup between France and Argentina.
He faced criticism from French media outlet L’Equipe for allowing Messi’s extra time goal to stand due to the fact that three Argentina substitutes broke FIFA rules by entering the pitch before the ball crossed the line.
But he responded in a cheeky manner showing a picture when Mbappe netted an equalizer in the encounter.
He said: “The French didn’t mention this photo, where you can see how there are seven Frenchmen on the pitch when Mbappé scores a goal.”
He however acknowledged that there were some notable errors committed by him in the encounter.
Anyway, referee Szymon Marciniak who was named “The World’s Best Referee” by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics is arguably the biggest high-profile referee currently.
It’s evident in the kind of matches he has handled in the past one year, refereeing the world cup in December and now being the man with the whistle in the Champions League final in June is certainly testament to how big a referee he is.
Hopefully, he produces a masterclass in officiating on the 10th of June when Manchester City trade tackles with Inter Milan.
