Nottingham Forest owner Marinakis spat on floor in ‘disgusting display of contempt’ – but gives outrageous excuse for it

NOTTINGHAM FOREST owner Evangelos Marinakis was handed his five-match stadium ban after spitting on the floor in a “disgusting display of contempt”.

But he produced an outrageous excuse for his behaviour.

Marinakis was charged following the 1-0 defeat at home to Fulham in September as Raul Jimenez grabbed the only goal from a controversial penalty.

The FA confirmed the lengthy stadium ban last week – ensuring he would not take his seats in the stands until the home clash with Ipswich on November 30.

But now the incredible written reasons for the verdicts have been released.

And it is claimed Marinakis spat on the ground in the tunnel when the referees approached following the full-time whistle.

The disciplinary panel concluded: “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.

“We consider that such a ban will have a real impact on [him] and will act as a deterrent to others from behaving in a similar manner.”

But Marinkas’ defence left many baffled – suggesting he had simply coughed.

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In his witness statement, the Greek businessman – who paid for the club’s multi-million-pound training ground renovation and also owns Olympiacos – claimed his cigar smoking sparked his antics.

The report says: “a. He smokes two or three cigars a day. He often needs to expectorate and/or coughs. His coughs contain phlegm.

“b. If he has to spit, he spits in a tissue if one is available or on the floor if he does not have one available. Sometimes when he coughs spit or phlegm can go to the floor.

“c. On the day of the incident he was suffering from a hacking cough. He was taking lozenges.

“d. As the officials approached he felt a cough coming and he coughed on the floor, down and to his right which was away from the path the officials were taking. He did not speak to the officials.

“e. He cannot now remember if any spittle left his mouth but if it did (and he does not challenge that some might well have done) it certainly was not aimed at the referee’s feet and did not hit anybody.

“f. He fails to see how coughing (where spit or phlegm can come out from any person) towards the floor in a relatively crowded tunnel is misconduct.”

But the reasoning prompted various responses from fans.

One said: “Gross. Wild defense. Maybe he should learn to cover his mouth when he coughs like the rest of us learned when we were three.”

Another wrote: “Disgusting bloke.”

Elsewhere, Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo got a three-game touchline ban following his red card at Brighton.

He vented his anger at the officials as Morgan Gibbs-White got sent off.

The ex-Wolves and Spurs boss was ordered to stump up a fine of £55,000 while Gibbs-White got a one-match suspension and £20,000 fine.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk