Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis 'SPAT' at referee's feet 'in disgusting show of contempt' to earn five-match FA ban... but he claims he was COUGHING after smoking 'three cigars a day'

• e-mail

Evangelos Marinakis has been accused of spitting as match officials walked past in the tunnel after Nottingham Forest were beaten at home by Fulham last month.

The Forest owner was handed a five-match stadium ban, which the club have appealed against. Marinakis argued that he had not been spitting in the direction of the officials, but merely clearing his throat due to a cough.

An independent commission branded Marinakis' explanation 'completely implausible' and his conduct 'disrespectful and disgusting'. In written reasons published on Tuesday, the commission wrote: 'We are satisfied that he deliberately spat on the floor as the referee walked past him. Regrettably, we regard EM's (Marinakis') attempt to explain and justify his conduct as completely implausible.

'The only reasonable inference we can draw from our rejection of EM's explanation for the spit is that EM deliberately spat in a disrespectful and disgusting display of contempt towards the match officials.

'In our view, there is no other credible explanation for his conduct. In the circumstances, it clearly amounts to conduct within the meaning of Rule E3. Consequently, we found the (FA) charge proven.

Evangelos Marinakis (pictured) has been accused of spitting at the feet of a referee last month

Marinakis allegedly spat at the feet of referee Josh Smith (pictured) as he walked through the tunnel after Forest lost 1-0 at home to Fulham on September 28

Smith's version of events was corroborated by fourth official Tim Robinson (pictured), but Marinakis has claimed he was only coughing

'An egregious display of disrespectful behaviour such as this fuels disrespect towards match officials. This was not conduct triggered in the heat of the moment as a result of a decision on the field. There is no excuse for it

'EM's position as the owner of the football club aggravates the sanction. His conduct was entirely unacceptable and deserving of a serious punishment.'

It is the latest chapter in the story of Forest's troubled relationship with football's governing bodies.

Boss Nuno Espirito Santo was banned for three matches and fined £55,000 for his behaviour after the 2-2 draw at Brighton last month. Star midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White was handed a one-match ban and fined £20,000 for incidents in the same game.

Forest were still reeling from the eye-watering £750,000 fine imposed by an independent commission on October 11, relating to an explosive social media post last April that questioned the appointment of Stuart Attwell as VAR following their 3-0 defeat at Everton. Forest denied they had questioned the integrity of officials or brought the game into disrepute.

Marinakis had told the commission that on the day of the Fulham game he was suffering from 'a hacking cough' and was taking lozenges. The written reasons recorded that Marinakis 'smokes 2 or 3 cigars a day. He often needs to expectorate and/or coughs.

Morgan Gibbs-White was charged for his reaction to being sent off against Brighton last month

Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo was also charged for reacting furiously to the red card

Forest have also recently been fined for their social media attack on a VAR official after losing to Everton last season

Marinakis missed Forest's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Monday, with Chris Wood netting the winner

'As the officials approached he felt a cough coming and he coughed on the floor, down and to his right which was away from the path the officials were taking. He did not speak to the officials.'

Forest had been beaten 1-0 in a game that swung on two penalty incidents. Raul Jimenez scored the only goal for Fulham, who were awarded the spot-kick after referee Josh Smith consulted his pitchside monitor on the advice of VAR official John Brooks.

Forest then suffered more disappointment when a decision not to award them a penalty was upheld after a VAR review.