An independent regulatory commission found that Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis spat on the floor in the tunnel area following his team’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham last month. The Football Association charged Marinakis with misconduct and handed him a five-game stadium ban for his behavior.
In its written reasons, the FA stated that the commission was certain Marinakis deliberately spat on the floor as the referee walked past him, displaying disrespect and contempt. Marinakis, who appealed the ban, claimed he has a hacking cough due to his smoking habit and denied intentionally spitting towards the referee.
Despite Marinakis’ defense, the commission confirmed the ban, citing his improper conduct and disrespectful behavior towards match officials. The incident occurred after Forest’s controversial defeat against Fulham, where Marinakis blamed his cigar habit for the spitting accusations.
The FA’s findings detail how Marinakis denied spitting in the tunnel area but witnesses reported otherwise. The club owner’s appeal was unsuccessful, and the commission’s written reasons were made public, condemning his disrespectful actions as damaging to the Premier League.
Even though Marinakis claimed his spitting was due to a cough, match officials confirmed he deliberately spat on the floor near the referee in a disrespectful manner. The ban on Marinakis, who also owns Olympiacos, prohibits him from attending several matches, making it the longest such punishment in English football since a previous incident involving Leyton Orient’s president.
Forest’s recent sanctions from the FA, including a hefty fine for a social media post, highlight the consequences of inappropriate behavior from club officials. Mr. Adamson KC, among others, concluded that Marinakis’ actions were deliberate and disrespectful towards the match officials.
