Nottingham Forest's Marinakis banned for spitting at officials
- Evangelos Marinakis, owner of Nottingham Forest, was banned for five matches after spitting near match officials' feet on September 28.
- He defended his actions by claiming a coughing fit caused by smoking cigars, insisting it wasn't aimed at the officials.
- The independent commission concluded that spitting at officials is improper conduct and emphasized the need for respectful behavior in sports.
In England, Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis received a five-match stadium ban following his spitting incident towards match officials after a defeat against Fulham on September 28. The match concluded with a controversial penalty awarded to Fulham following a VAR review, leading to heightened tensions in the tunnel area. Marinakis defended his actions by claiming he was suffering from a hacking cough due to his cigar smoking habit, which he argued was the reason for any spitting. However, match officials, including referee Josh Smith, testified that they observed Marinakis deliberately spitting near them as they walked past. The independent regulatory commission deemed Marinakis's conduct improper, emphasizing that spitting at officials is unacceptable behavior that undermines respect in the sport. This disciplinary action comes amid separate suspensions of the team's manager and a player for other infractions during a different match.