Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has been handed a five-match stadium ban for spitting on the floor as match officials passed by in the tunnel following Forest’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham on September 28.
An independent regulatory commission found Marinakis guilty of improper conduct, rejecting his defense that the act was unintentional due to a cough. The commission condemned the behaviour as an “egregious display of disrespect” and imposed the ban as a deterrent.
In a separate incident, Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White were sanctioned for swearing at match officials during the 2-2 draw against Brighton on September 22.
Nuno received a three-match touchline ban, partially due to prior disciplinary issues, while Gibbs-White was handed a one-match ban, reduced from the standard two-game suspension after showing genuine remorse.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler, involved in the same incident, was fined £8,000 but avoided a touchline ban.
🚨Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has been accused of “spitting on the floor” as match officials walked past him following the team’s defeat to Fulham last month.
The Reds owner has been hit with a five-match stadium ban for “improper behaviour” around the City… pic.twitter.com/Sgwnhudo6F
— Alkass English (@alkassenglish) October 22, 2024
