Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has been handed a five-match stadium ban after spitting near an official, an independent panel has found.
Earlier this month, the FA charged Marinakis with improper conduct in the City Ground tunnel during Forest’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham in September. Marinakis denied the allegations.
However, the independent regulatory commission has released the written reasons behind the sanctions, saying there is “no excuse” for the “disrespectful display”.
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Highlights from the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Fulham
He added that a lengthy ban would have a “real impact on Marinakis” and should act as a “deterrent to others”.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo and a midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White they were also suspended for a separate incident that occurred during the 2-2 draw between Forest and Brighton last month.
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Nuno Espirito Santo says the three-match touchline ban he received from the FA is a big sanction but nothing can be done now
Is evidence given to the FA?
Quote from the referee, Josh Smith: “When I walked down the tunnel at the end of the match, Mr Evangelos Marinakis, the owner of Nottingham Forest, was standing on the left at the end of the tunnel.
“As I passed him he spat on the floor next to my left leg. This was also seen by James Mainwaring and Tim Robinson.”
Fourth official, Team Robinson: “I then went back out to continue monitoring the tunnel area and witnessed Mr. Evangelos Marinakis making an act of vomiting when the match official walked past him.”
assistant referee, James Mainwaring: “He didn’t say anything but when we approached him and got close, he spat on the ground as we approached him.”
assistant referee, Neil Davies: “When we entered, Josh told us that Mr. Marinakis had spit on the floor
direction as he walked past her. I did not witness the spitting incident that was reported.”
Evangelos Marinakis has been banned for five games for allegedly spitting near an official
What is Marinakis’ defense?
The statement from the independent panel read: “The basis of Mr Marinakis’ denial (accusation) is that he had a hacking cough on the day of the match and, when the match official approached, he felt a cough and then coughed on the floor, down and to the right, away from the path taken by match officials when they receive phlegm or saliva may occur due to coughing.
In the witness statement of Marinakis, he stated:
- He smoked two or three cigars a day. They often need to expectorate and/or cough. His cough contains phlegm.
- If he has to spit, he spits on a tissue if available or on the floor if none. Sometimes when he coughs he spits up or phlegm can go to the floor.
- On the day of the incident he was suffering from cough. He took the lozenges.
- As the officers approached he felt a cough coming on and coughed on the floor, down and to the right away from the path the officers were taking. He did not speak to officials.
- Now he can’t remember if any spit came out of his mouth but if he did (and he doesn’t challenge that he could have) it shouldn’t have been aimed at the umpire’s leg and it shouldn’t have hit anyone.
- He couldn’t see how coughing (where saliva or phlegm could come out of anyone) onto the floor in a relatively crowded tunnel was a misdemeanor.
What are the FA rules?
FA Rule E3 states: “Participants will always act in the interests of the game and will not act in any way that is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any person, or combination, violent behavior, serious foul play, threatening. , words or behaviors that is rude, rude or insulting.”
What is the conclusion?
“The main factual dispute to be resolved is whether Evangelos Marinakis spat on the floor to the match official or whether he expectorated because he had a ‘hacking cough’ and/or because he smoked a regular cigar.
“We have reviewed the video footage. We are of the opinion that the footage does not support the suggestion that Evangelos Marinakis coughed.
“The FA said the spat was ‘unprovoked’ and ‘no match official should tolerate such disrespectful behaviour.’
“We have concluded that Evangelos Marinakis should be the subject of a ban from five Nottingham Forest first team matches (home, away or neutral).
“We consider that the ban will have a real impact on Evangelos Marinakis and will act as a deterrent to others acting in the same way.”
