Nottingham Forest’s proprietor Evangelos Marinakis initiated legal proceedings against Crystal Palace on Monday over a banner displayed by the south London club’s supporters during a Premier League match.
The Greek shipping magnate’s legal representatives submitted a defamation claim to the High Court, with CPFC Limited named among the respondents.
The banner, visible during last August’s 1-1 league encounter at Selhurst Park, depicted the Forest owner with a firearm pointed at midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. The banner text claimed Marinakis was not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption.
Marinakis has repeatedly rejected any connection to such accusations.
The Football Association sanctioned Palace in November 2025 for failing to prevent spectators from acting in an inappropriate, offensive or provocative manner. Although the banner was not explicitly cited in the charge, regulations governing messaging of a defamatory, political or abusive nature are stringent.
England international Gibbs-White came close to departing Forest during the previous summer when Tottenham triggered a £60 million release clause in his contract. He ultimately committed his future to the club and discussed his choice during a joint interview with Marinakis.
Marinakis’s Forest secured Palace’s former position in the Europa League after the Eagles were demoted to the Conference League for violating Uefa’s regulations concerning multi-club ownership structures.
Representatives from both Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest have been contacted for comment.