Evangelos Marinakis' Stadium Ban Upheld by FA

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis' five-match stadium ban has been upheld after his appeal was dismissed by the Football Association (FA). The ban stems from an incident on September 28, where Marinakis was found guilty of spitting in front of match officials following a loss to Fulham, an act characterized as 'an egregious display of disrespectful behaviour.' The independent commission stated there was 'no excuse' for his actions, which could undermine respect for officials in the sport. Marinakis, who has already served three matches of the ban, denied the charge, claiming it was unintentional due to a cough, but this defense was rejected. In addition, Nottingham Forest is contesting a £750,000 fine for a controversial social media post criticizing referee Stuart Attwell's performance. The FA is seeking a fine of at least £1 million for the club's comments, citing attacks on the integrity of match officials.