Football
Nottingham Forest Owner Banned After Spitting Towards Match Officials
James is an experienced writer covering a wide range of sports. He has previously written for national UK titles and now provides detailed features and breaking news stories.
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Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was banned for five matches after spitting on the floor as match officials walked past him.
The incident occurred following Forest’s 1-0 Premier League defeat to Fulham on 28 September.
Marinakis has been found guilty of improper conduct and hit with a five-game stadium ban.
The independent commission which oversaw the case has listed serval reasons for its decisions.
It argued there was “no excuse” what it described as “an egregious display of disrespectful behaviour” which might “fuel disrespect towards match officials”.
Nottingham Forest Owner Banned After Commission Rejects Smoking Defence
The incident came about after Forest’s first defeat of the season. A VAR decision awarded Fulham the decisive penalty, with Forest fuming.
Match officials Josh Smith and James Mainwaring, as well as fourth official Tim Robinson, provided written statements of the spitting.
They said Marinakis spat on the floor towards them as they walked down the tunnel after the match.
But the Nottingham Forest owner claimed it was accidental. Marinakis argued he suffers from a cough due to smoking several cigars a day, and the spitting incident was unintended.
The commission did not accept his defence, though. None of the officials noted a cough in their statements, and CCTV evidence from the tunnel supported the allegation.
Marinakis is, therefore, said to have “deliberately spat in a disrespectful and disgusting display of contempt towards the match officials”.
The ruling by the commission is aimed at reflecting the seriousness of Marinakis’ misconduct, and to act as a deterrent to others.
Nuno Espirito Santo And Morgan Gibbs-White Also Punished
But it isn’t just the Nottingham Forest owner who’s been banned.
Another commission has sanctioned both Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and player Morgan Gibbs-White for swearing at match officials after Forest’s 2-2 draw with Brighton in September.
Nuno was shown a red card and handed a three-game touchline ban. Gibbs-White was also sent off, and given a further one-match ban for his reaction to the dismissal.
Both player and manager admitted their guilt and showed genuine remorse, the commission said.
But Nuno’s prior disciplinary record counted against him, leading to the three-game ban.
The pair were found to have sworn at referee Robert Jones and fourth official Anthony Taylor following midfielder Gibbs-white’s sending off.
However, Nuno apologised to the officials after the match, and both he and Gibbs-White wrote letters of apology to the commission.
Former Wolves boss Nuno was very apologetic, but it was noted he ‘stopped short of saying it would not happen again’.