Nottingham Forest proprietor Evangelos Marinakis fails in bid to overturn five-match stadium ban after he ‘SPAT’ at referee’s toes ‘in disgusting present of contempt’
- Evangelos Marinakis’ appeal to have five-game ban overturned has been denied
- Nottingham Forest owner was accused of spitting as match officials walked by
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Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’ five-game stadium ban has been upheld after his appeal against the sanction was dismissed by the FA.
The 57-year-old was sanctioned for misconduct after being accused of spitting as match officials walked past in the tunnel after Forest were beaten by Fulham in September.
Following the game Forest announced they would appeal the charge with Marinakis claiming he had merely been clearing his throat due to a cough.
An independent commission later branded Marinakis’ explanation ‘completely implausible’ and his conduct ‘disrespectful and disgusting’.
In written reasons published last month, the commission wrote: ‘We are satisfied that he deliberately spat on the floor as the referee walked past him. Regrettably, we regard EM’s (Marinakis’) attempt to explain and justify his conduct as completely implausible.
Evangelos Marinakis has failed in his bid to have a five-game stadium ban overturned by the FA
The Nottingham Forest owner was accused at spitting at a referee’s feet after the club’s loss to Fulham
‘The only reasonable inference we can draw from our rejection of EM’s explanation for the spit is that EM deliberately spat in a disrespectful and disgusting display of contempt towards the match officials.
‘In our view, there is no other credible explanation for his conduct. In the circumstances, it clearly amounts to conduct within the meaning of Rule E3. Consequently, we found the (FA) charge proven.’
The FA announced on Monday that an appeal board had dismissed Marinakis’ challenge and that the initial ruling would stand.
The governing body added that the written reasons for the appeal board’s dismissal would be published in due course.
Referee Josh Smith’s (pictured) version of events was corroborated by fourth official Tim Robinson
Marinakis had previously told the commission that on the day of the Fulham game he was suffering from ‘a hacking cough’ and was taking lozenges. The written reasons recorded that Marinakis ‘smokes 2 or 3 cigars a day. He often needs to expectorate and/or coughs.
However this version of accounts was not corroborated by referee Josh Smith or fourth official Tim Robinson.
