Crystal Palace fined over provocative fan banner

Crystal Palace were fined £50 000 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.

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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.