Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has been handed a five-match stadium ban for "improper conduct" following an incident where he was found guilty of spitting near referee Josh Smith in the tunnel after a defeat to Fulham. The decision, made on October 18, comes after Marinakis denied the charge during a hearing, with the full judgment released on October 22.
The charge stemmed from an incident described by referee Smith, who reported that Marinakis spat on the floor next to his left foot as he walked down the tunnel. This act was witnessed by assistant referee James Mainwaring and fourth official Tim Robinson. Marinakis contended that he merely coughed, attributing the incident to his smoking habit and a cough he was experiencing at the time.
His defense argued that he often needs to expectorate and that if he does spit, he typically uses a tissue. On the day of the incident, he claimed he was taking lozenges for his cough and did not intentionally spit at the referee. However, the FA disagreed, stating that video footage did not support Marinakis's claims of coughing and emphasized that he failed to cover his mouth, a common courtesy when coughing near others.
Marinakis was absent from the City Ground during Forest's 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace while the club appealed his ban.
Former Manchester United forward Diego Forlán is geared up to make his professional tennis debut at next month's Uruguay Open. The 45-year-old football legend will team up with Argentine player Federico Coria for the doubles event, bringing his competitive spirit to the tennis court in his home country.
An announcement from the tournament organizers excitedly declared: "Attention tennis and sports fans! This year at the Uruguay Open, we have an UNMISSABLE duo in doubles: Argentine tennis player Federico Coria and former Uruguayan football player Diego Forlan."
The Uruguay Open will be played at the Challenger Tour level, the second-highest professional tier in tennis. Coria, who boasts a career-high singles ranking of 49, will be a valuable partner for Forlán as they aim to win the doubles event.
Forlán, a cult hero at Manchester United, is fondly remembered for his impactful moments on the football field. He famously scored both goals in a memorable 2-1 victory against Liverpool in December 2002, followed by a dramatic 90th-minute winner against Chelsea, which helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s team clinch the Premier League title.
Interestingly, Forlán's journey echoes that of his father, who also transitioned from football to tennis after retiring. “My father played football, and after retiring at 41, he took up tennis. That’s why I started playing at the age of two. Everyone knows I dedicated myself to football before returning to this sport as diligently as I now do,” Forlán has shared. Football fans around the world will be very interested to see how the footballing legend gets on.
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