Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has filed a defamation claim against Crystal Palace following the display of an offensive banner by fans.
Key facts
- •Evangelos Marinakis filed the defamation claim in the High Court on Monday.
- •The banner appeared during a 1-1 Premier League draw at Selhurst Park in August.
- •The Football Association charged Crystal Palace in November 2025 regarding supporter conduct.
- •Morgan Gibbs-White signed a new contract with Nottingham Forest last summer after a potential £60m transfer to Tottenham.
- •Nottingham Forest replaced Crystal Palace in the Europa League last season due to Uefa multi-club ownership rule violations.
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has launched a defamation lawsuit against Crystal Palace in the High Court. The legal action follows a banner displayed by Palace supporters during a Premier League match at Selhurst Park last August, which depicted Marinakis holding a gun to the head of Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.
By the numbers
The Defamation Claim
The banner displayed during the 1-1 draw featured text stating, "Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption." Marinakis has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding these allegations. His lawyers officially lodged the claim on Monday, naming CPFC Limited as one of two defendants.
Regulatory Context
In November 2025, the Football Association charged Crystal Palace for failing to ensure supporters did not behave in an improper, offensive, abusive, or provocative manner. While the banner was not explicitly cited as the reason for the charge, the Football Association maintains strict regulations regarding the use of defamatory, political, or offensive messaging in stadiums.
Timeline
- AugustA banner depicting Marinakis and Gibbs-White was displayed at Selhurst Park.
- November 2025The Football Association charged Crystal Palace for improper supporter behavior.
- MondayMarinakis' lawyers lodged a defamation claim in the High Court.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC Sport.
