Liverpool vs Galatasaray referee forced to apologise after far-right speech

The Polish referee will officiate Liverpool vs Galatasaray at Anfield on Wednesday night

A top-tier referee who previously had to apologise for his association with a far-right event will officiate Liverpool vs Galatasaray on Wednesday night. Szymon Marciniak will be behind the whistle at Anfield as the Reds strive to overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat against the Turkish giants.

Marciniak will no doubt face some challenging confrontations in the middle as Arne Slot's team battles for one of their remaining chances of silverware this season. However, the Polish referee has dealt with larger controversies in the past, having been compelled to apologise for attending a business gathering linked to a far-right politician.

In 2023, following his appointment by UEFA for the Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan, Marciniak issued a statement.

The Warsaw-based anti-racism organisation Never Again had alerted the governing body to the 45-year-old's presence and participation in an event associated with Slawomir Mentzen, a leader of the far-right Confederation party.

Marciniak, who memorably officiated the 2022 World Cup final, claimed he was "gravely misled and completely unaware" of Mentzen's connections to the conference. In a statement released by UEFA, the referee said: "I want to express my deepest apologies for my involvement and any distress or harm it may have caused.

"I had no knowledge that [the conference] was associated with a Polish extreme-right movement. Had I been aware of this fact, I would have categorically declined the invitation.

"I am committed to learning from this experience and ensuring that such lapses in judgment do not occur in the future."

UEFA noted Never Again's acceptance of Marciniak's apology at the time and confirmed that he would referee the European final. They stated that "removing him would undermine the promotion of anti-discrimination."

The governing body added: "Based on the information provided, UEFA confirms that Mr. Marciniak will fulfil his role as the referee for the 2023 UEFA Champions League final."

Polish sports minister Kamil Bortniczuk backed Marciniak throughout this difficult period, stating that the referee delivered a 45-minute speech with a "strictly business, motivational and inspirational character" that had nothing to do with Mentzen.

Strengthening his defence on social media, Marciniak told his Instagram followers that he had "never supported nor legitimised any political party, organisation or individual politician."

Since this contentious incident, Marciniak has officiated at the FIFA Club World Cup and served as fourth official for Spain's 2-1 victory over England in the UEFA Euro 2024 final. Three years later, the Polish ref will take the main job for Liverpool vs Galatasaray with the Reds' European progress on the line.