Soccer-Crystal Palace fined over provocative fan banner
Feb 20 (Reuters) - Crystal Palace were fined 50,000 pounds ($67,360) by the FA on Friday for a banner displayed by supporters depicting Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis holding what appeared to be a gun to the head of midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.
The incident occurred during their 1-1 Premier League draw at Selhurst Park back in August, and the banner read: "Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption."
It was the first meeting between the two teams since Palace were demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League for breaching UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules — a move that allowed Forest to take Palace’s place in the competition.
"The club failed to ensure its spectators and/or supporters (and anyone purporting to be supporters or followers) didn’t behave in an improper, offensive, abusive, insulting and/or provocative way at this match," the FA said in a statement.
"The fact that Crystal Palace had a policy to prevent banners being smuggled into the stadium demonstrates that it was aware of the risk," it added.
Palace subsequently denied the charge, but an independent regulatory commission found it to be proven and imposed the fine following a hearing.
Marinakis, who acquired Nottingham Forest in 2017, has repeatedly denied allegations involving match-fixing, corruption and other illicit activities.
Meanwhile, Gibbs-White, who nearly left Forest last summer after Tottenham Hotspur activated a reported 60 million pounds release clause, signed a new contract with the club.
($1 = 0.7423 pounds)
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