Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis hit with five-match STADIUM BAN after ‘improper’ behaviour in tunnel

2 months ago 28

NOTTINGHAM FOREST owner Evangelos Marinakis has been slapped with a FIVE-MATCH stadium ban for his furious outburst.

Marinakis, 57, was adjudged to have behaved in an “improper” manner in the City Ground tunnel following the 1-0 defeat to Fulham on September 28.

a man with a beard sits in a stadium with red seats

He was furious after his side lost their unbeaten start to the season to a second-half penalty which was converted by Raul Jimenez.

Referee Josh Smith awarded Fulham the penalty on the advice of VAR John Brooks, while denying Forest two spot-kick claims of their own.

And Marinakis’ emotions got the better of him in his tunnel meltdown.

Now the Forest chief – who paid for the club’s multi-million-pound training ground renovation and also owns Olympiacos – has paid the price with a hefty penalty of his own.

An FA statement said: “Nottingham Forest’s Evangelos Marinakis has been sanctioned by an independent Regulatory Commission.

“Evangelos Marinakis was charged with misconduct following Nottingham Forest’s Premier League match against Fulham on Saturday 28 September.

“It was alleged that his behaviour around the tunnel area after the final whistle was improper. He denied this charge, but it was found proven by the independent Regulatory Commission, and a five-match stadium/ground suspension has been imposed.

“The independent Regulatory Commission’s written reasons for its decisions will be published in due course.”

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Marinakis will therefore have to watch the games against Crystal Palace, Leicester, West Ham, Newcastle and Arsenal from away from the grounds.

Therefore will next be able to take his seat in the stands of the stadium he owns when his side host Ipswich on November 30 – but will be denied entry to the City Ground against the Eagles, Hammers and Magpies.

And it was a double whammy for Forest on Friday.

That is because, in a separate punishment, the FA also hit manager Nuno Espirito Santo with a three-match touchline ban for his red card during the 2-2 draw with Brighton.

Santo lost his cool when Morgan Gibbs-White was sent off and was dismissed alongside Seagulls counterpart Fabian Hurzeler.

The ex-Wolves and Spurs boss must also pay a fine of £55,000 while Gibbs-White got a one-match suspension and £20,000 fine.

Hurzeler, however, only needs to stump up £8,000 – and has faced no ban.

a poster for the nottingham forest next five games

A separate FA statement added: “It was alleged that the Nottingham Forest head coach [Santo] acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official.

“The Nottingham Forest midfielder [Gibbs-White] allegedly acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official after being sent off.

“It was alleged that the Brighton and Hove Albion manager [Hurzeler] acted in an improper manner.”

During the international break, Forest were fined a whopping £750,000 for an explosive post claiming the VAR ref for their defeat to Everton towards the end of last season was “a Luton fan” – when both the East Midlanders and the Hatters were vying to avoid relegation.

Elsewhere, Wayne Rooney got a one-match touchline ban and £5,500 fine following his dismissal late on in Plymouth’s win over Blackburn.

The ex-England captain accepted using improper, abusive or insulting words towards a match official and a charge of improper and/or violent conduct relating to him kicking a water bottle.

Rooney also admitted returning to the field of play after being sent off as he came back out to congratulate his squad for their last-gasp winner.