Update 2:30 p.m.: Added referee apology and UEFA decision
Will Szymon Marciniak referee the Champions League final on June 10 between Manchester City and Inter Milan? UEFA seriously asked the question after the revelation of the Polish referee’s participation in a meeting organized by a politician from his country known for his racist and homophobic ideas.
Finally, Szymon Marciniak apologized on Friday. “Upon reflection and further investigation, it has been found that I was seriously misled and completely unaware of the true nature and affiliations of the event,” he wrote in a statement. communicated by UEFA, which indicated that it wanted to keep him to referee the C1 final.
THE Guardian indicated Thursday evening that the European body had opened an investigation to find out more about the content of this political meeting. “UEFA is aware of the allegations regarding Szymon Marciniak and is seeking urgent clarification. UEFA and the entire football community hate the values promoted by the group in question and take these allegations very seriously. A further announcement will be made tomorrow, after reviewing all the evidence,” she said in a statement.
Szymon Marciniak, a respected referee who officiated in the C1 semi-finals and who was also in charge of the World Cup final between France and Argentina, was seen on May 29 in a meeting in Katowice organized by Slawomir Mentzen, leader of the Confederation Party, whose slogan is: “We are against Jews, homosexuals, abortion, taxation and the European Union” and other incitement to racial hatred.
His presence had been revealed by the anti-racist organization “Never Again”. Rafał Pankowski, its co-founder, said he was “shocked and dismayed by Marciniak’s public association with Mentzen and his brand of toxic far-right politics”. He added, to the football authorities: “We ask the referee to recognize his mistake. If he doesn’t, we think UEFA and Fifa should take action. »