Premier League club owner banned for spitting 'in a disrespectful and disgusting display'

The owner of Nottingham Forest was given a five-match stadium ban in the latest of a series of sanctions against the Premier League club in recent weeks.

Evangelos Marinakis was charged by the English Football Association for misconduct after Forest's 1-0 loss to Fulham last month in a match that was decided by a contentious, VAR-awarded penalty.

The governing body claimed his behavior around the tunnel area after the match at Forest's City Ground was “improper” but did not give specific details of the incident.

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But match officials allege Marinakis spat in their direction as they left the field following the game.

Referee Josh Smith, assistant referee James Mainwaring and fourth official Tim Robinson submitted written statements saying they saw Marinakis spitting on the floor in their direction.

Marinakis claimed he had a cough caused by smoking and said the incident was unintentional.

But a report claimed Marinakis "deliberately spat in a disrespectful and disgusting display of contempt towards the match officials".

An independent panel sanctioned Marinakis with a five-game ban. Forest said it would appeal.

Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo was given a separate punishment when fined $107,000 and banned from the touchline for two games after being sent off in his team's 2-2 draw with Brighton last month.

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He admitted using abusive and/or insulting words toward a match official. The FA said the sanction activated a further one-match touchline ban, which had been suspended, making three games in total.

Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White was also sent off in that match and admitted using abusive and/or insulting words toward the fourth official. He was fined $38,900 and suspended for one match.

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler was also sent off, and he was fined $14,900 for acting in an improper manner.

Forest was fined $1.46m last week for an inflammatory post that got more than 46 million views. The club was found to have questioned the integrity of match officials in an “irresponsible” post on X in April following a 2-0 loss to Everton.