Nottingham Forest Owner Banned for Spitting Incident Involving Referee

Evangelos Marinakis receives a five-match stadium ban after being found guilty of spitting towards match officials following a controversial defeat to Fulham.

Evangelos Marinakis, owner of Nottingham Forest, was banned for five matches after an independent commission found he spat towards referee Josh Smith.
The incident occurred in the tunnel at City Ground after Forest's 1-0 loss to Fulham, where a controversial penalty decision had incensed the club.
Marinakis denied the allegations, attributing his actions to a hacking cough caused by his cigar habit, but the commission rejected this defense.
CCTV footage and statements from match officials contradicted Marinakis's claims, leading to the conclusion that he acted with disrespectful intent.
Nottingham Forest has lodged an appeal against both the decision and the severity of the sanction imposed by the Football Association.