UCL final referee under scrutiny amid far-right political links

An anti-racism group urged the head referee of the Champions League final to disassociate himself from a far-right politician in Poland. In response, UEFA expressed the need for “urgent clarification” before the final match took place. UEFA stated that after thoroughly examining all the evidence, a subsequent announcement would be made on the matter.

UEFA has selected Szymon Marciniak as the referee for the highly anticipated Champions League final clash between Manchester City and Internazionale, which is scheduled to take place on June 10. Notably, Marciniak previously officiated the FIFA World Cup final match between Argentina and France this season.

However, an anti-racism organization called Never Again, based in Warsaw, has raised concerns about Marciniak’s alleged involvement in an event organized by Slawomir Mentzen, a Polish far-right leader. Never Again expressed shock and condemnation, stating that Marciniak’s association with Mentzen and his far-right politics contradicts the fundamental values of fair play, including equality and respect. Co-founder of Never Again, Rafal Pankowski, emphasized these concerns in a statement.

Slawomir Mentzen, the leader of the Konfederacja (Confederation) party, which has been accused of promoting anti-Semitic, sexist, and anti-gay views, is at the center of the controversy surrounding Szymon Marciniak, the selected referee for the Champions League final.

Marciniak was slated to be a prominent speaker at a business conference for entrepreneurs in Katowice, Poland, which was advertised as such. Mentzen actively publicized the referee’s involvement on his social media platforms.

In response to these developments, UEFA issued a statement expressing strong disapproval, stating that the football community unequivocally condemns the values propagated by the group in question and takes the allegations very seriously.

Rafal Pankowski, representing Never Again, called on Marciniak to acknowledge his error. Failure to do so would prompt the organization to urge UEFA and FIFA to take appropriate measures and consequences.