Champions League final referee Szymon Marciniak keeps role after apology for attending far-right event | OneFootball

Polish referee will keep his role in charge of the Champions League final after apologising for appearing at a far-right event in Poland.

Marciniak spoke at a recent event organised by a Polish far-right leader Slawomir Mentzen.

Uefa appointed Marciniak last month to referee the Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan in Istanbul, which takes place next Saturday, 10 June.

He said in a statement: “I want to express my deepest apologies for my involvement and any distress or harm it may have caused.

“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 [with] 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.”

Mentzen, co-chairman of the Confederation party, launched the political slogan ‘We stand against Jews, gays, abortion, taxation and the European Union’.

Anti-racism group Never Again had urged Uefa to drop Marciniak after claiming he had promoted and was one of the keynote speakers at an event held by Mentzen at the International Congress Centre in Katowice.

But Marciniak has kept his role and Uefa said: “After conducting a thorough review, we have received a statement from Mr Marciniak expressing his deepest apologies and providing a clarification regarding his involvement in the event.”

Marciniak, 42, became the first Polish referee to take charge of a World Cup final in Qatar last December when Argentina beat France on penalties.