Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis “spat on the floor” towards the referee following his team’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham last month, according to an independent regulatory commission.
Marinakis was charged with misconduct by the Football Association and hit with a five-game stadium ban for his behaviour in the tunnel area at the City Ground, after a controversial defeat for his side last month.
In publishing its written reasons, the FA said the independent commision was “satisfied” Marinakis deliberately spat on the floor as the referee walked past him “in a disrespectful and disgusting display of contempt”.
Marinakis, who has appealed the five-game ban, claimed he had a “hacking cough” and argued in his defence that he smokes “two or three cigars a day”. He denied aiming his spit towards the referee’s feet.
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