Marinakis sues Crystal Palace over defamatory gun banner
Nottingham Forest owner files High Court defamation claim nearly a year after Palace fans displayed offensive banner at Selhurst Park.
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Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 22 items across 3 sources · 4h ago. Quotes are verbatim.
Evangelos Marinakis, owner of Nottingham Forest, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Crystal Palace over a banner displayed by the club's ultras on 24 August 2025 depicting him holding a gun to player Morgan Gibbs-White's head. The banner referenced Gibbs-White's transfer U-turn and included unsubstantiated allegations against Marinakis. Crystal Palace was already fined £50,000 by the FA in February 2026 for failing to prevent the offensive display, and the legal action comes amid ongoing tensions between the clubs over Europa League qualification.
- Marinakis filed a High Court defamation suit on 10 August 2026 against Crystal Palace over a banner displayed on 24 August 2025 depicting him with a gun to Gibbs-White's head.
- The banner included unsubstantiated allegations of blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking and corruption; Marinakis has never been charged with these offences and denies them.
- Crystal Palace was already fined £50,000 by the FA in February 2026 for failing to prevent the offensive display despite having a policy against smuggled banners.
- The legal action arises amid heightened tensions between the clubs over Europa League qualification following Palace's demotion for multi-ownership rule breaches, from which Forest benefited.
How it unfolded
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Marinakis's lawyers lodged a High Court defamation claim against Crystal Palace and Persons Unknown, nearly a year after the banner appeared.
“Lawyers for Marinakis lodged the claim for defamation today, almost a year after the banner appeared at a Premier League fixture between the two clubs on 24 August 2025.”
City AM · Google News ↗ - 27 weeks quiet
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Report Palace fined £50,000 by FA
The FA fined Crystal Palace £50,000 and noted the club had a policy to prevent banners being smuggled into the stadium, demonstrating awareness of the risk.
- 13 weeks quiet
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Report FA charges Crystal Palace
The Football Association charged Palace with failing to ensure spectators did not behave in an improper, offensive, abusive, insulting and/or provocative way at the match.
- 10 weeks quiet
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Crystal Palace ultras unfurled a banner at a Premier League match depicting Marinakis holding a gun to Morgan Gibbs-White's head, referencing the player's transfer U-turn.
What people are saying verbatim
“Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is suing Crystal Palace in the High Court after fans of the south London club displayed a banner depicting him holding a gun to a player's head.”
City AM · City AM ↗ · Aug 9
“The banner also bore the words: "Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption."”
City AM · City AM ↗ · Aug 9
“Greek shipping magnate Marinakis has never been charged with any of the stated offences and has previously vigorously denied any allegations.”
City AM · City AM ↗ · Aug 9
“The fact that Crystal Palace had a policy to prevent banners being smuggled into the stadium demonstrates that it was aware of the risk.”
Football Association · City AM ↗ · Jan 31
“There is a festering bitterness between both sets of fans tbh. Especially the online fans.”
jockmcplop, Reddit commenter · Reddit ↗ · Aug 9
“What I don't understand is how Forest got the spot. Marinakis was supposedly "a person without significant control" yet personally was making decisions, running on to the pitch etc.”
tomtomclubthumb, Reddit commenter · Reddit ↗ · Aug 9
Voices from the web unedited
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What I don't understand is how Forest got the spot. Marinakis was supposedly "a person without significant control" yet personally was making decisions, running on to the pitch etc.
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There is a festering bitterness between both sets of fans tbh. Especially the online fans.