Forest owner Marinakis banned for spitting near officials after Fulham loss

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was issued a five-match stadium ban after spitting near officials, an independent panel has found.

Earlier this month, the FA charged Marinakis with behaving improperly around the City Ground tunnel during Forest’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham in September. Marinakis denied this charge.

However, an independent regulatory commission has released its written reasons behind the sanction, saying there was “no excuse” for such an “egregious display of disrespectful behaviour”.

It added that such a lengthy ban will have “real impact on Marinakis” and should act as a “deterrent to others”.

Manager Nuno Espirito Santo and midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White were also suspended for a separate incident which occurred during a 2-2 draw between Forest and Brighton last month.

What evidence was given to FA?

Quotes attributed to referee, Josh Smith: “As I walked down the tunnel at the end of the match, Mr Evangelos Marinakis, the owner of Nottingham Forest, was stood on my left-hand side at the end of the tunnel.

“As I walked past him, he spat on the floor next to my left foot. This was also seen by James Mainwaring and Tim Robinson.”

Fourth official, Tim Robinson: “I then came back out to continue monitoring the tunnel area and witnessed Mr Evangelos Marinakis making a spitting action as the match officials walked past him.”

Assistant referee, James Mainwaring: “He did not say anything but as we approached him and was close, he spat on the ground as we approached him.”

Assistant referee, Neil Davies: “When we entered, Josh then told me that Mr Marinakis had spat on the floor in his
direction as he walked past him. I did not witness the reported spitting incident.”

What was Marinakis’ defence?

A statement from the independent panel read: “The basis of Mr Marinakis’ denial [of the charge] is that he was suffering from a hacking cough on the day of the fixture and, as the match officials approached, he felt a cough coming and thus coughed on the floor, down and to his right, away from the path the match officials were taking. Whilst he accepts that phlegm or spittle may have been produced this was as a result of coughing.”

In a witness statement from Marinakis, he stated:

• He smokes two or three cigars a day. He often needs to expectorate and/or coughs. His coughs contain phlegm.
• If he has to spit, he spits in a tissue if one is available or on the floor if he does not have one available. Sometimes when he coughs spit or phlegm can go to the floor.
• On the day of the incident he was suffering from a hacking cough. He was taking lozenges.
• As the officials approached he felt a cough coming and he coughed on the floor, down and to his right which was away from the path the officials were taking. He did not speak to the officials.
• He cannot now remember if any spittle left his mouth but if it did (and he does not challenge that some might well have done) it certainly was not aimed at the referee’s feet and did not hit anybody.
• He fails to see how coughing (where spit or phlegm can come out from any person) towards the floor in a relatively crowded tunnel is misconduct.

What are the FA rules?

FA Rule E3 states: “A participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and shall not act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any one, or a combination of, violent conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour.”

What was the conclusion?

“The key factual dispute which we have to resolve is whether Evangelos Marinakis spat on the floor towards the match officials or whether he expectorated because he had a ‘hacking cough’ and/or because he is a regular smoker of cigars.

“We have reviewed the video footage. We are of the view that the footage does not support the suggestion that Evangelos Marinakis coughed.

“The FA submit that the spitting was ‘entirely unprovoked’ and ‘no match official should be expected to tolerate such a flagrant display of disrespectful behaviour’.

“We have concluded that Evangelos Marinakis should be the subject of a ground ban from Nottingham Forest’s next five first-team games (home, away or neutral venue).

“We consider that such a ban will have a real impact on Evangelos Marinakis and will act as a deterrent to others from behaving in a similar manner.”

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