Evangelos Marinakis Takes Crystal Palace to High Court Over Defamation Case

Evangelos Marinakis is taking Crystal Palace to the High Court in a defamation case over a controversial banner displayed at Selhurst Park last season, accusing the south London club of failing to stop or swiftly remove what he believes was a globally damaging image.

The banner, unfurled last August, depicted the Nottingham Forest owner holding a gun to the head of Morgan Gibbs-White. It appeared shortly after Gibbs-White’s proposed move to Tottenham collapsed, a saga that ended with the midfielder signing a contract extension at the City Ground instead. The flag also carried lurid, unproven claims about the Greek billionaire’s business dealings.

Marinakis lodged his claim in the High Court last week, escalating a row that had already drawn the attention of the Football Association. After an FA investigation concluded in November, Crystal Palace were charged and fined £50,000 over the incident. That sanction has not satisfied Marinakis, who is understood to believe the punishment falls well short of addressing what he regards as serious and widespread damage to his reputation.

At the heart of his case is the allegation that Palace failed in their duty of care: that the club did not act to prevent the banner being displayed and did not move quickly enough to have it taken down once it appeared in the stands. He is now seeking legal clarity on precisely how responsible the club can be held for the actions of supporters inside their stadium.

FA regulations place clear responsibility on clubs to ensure their fans do not engage in behaviour that is “improper, offensive, abusive, insulting and/or provocative”. In defamation law, a claimant can sue on several grounds, including the publication of alleged false statements or the creation and display of an image that is said to damage reputation. Marinakis’ legal team are understood to be focusing on that latter point: the decision to allow the banner to be seen inside the ground and, by extension, around the world.

Crystal Palace have been contacted for comment. Nottingham Forest declined to comment, citing the ongoing legal process.

The case now moves from the stands to the courtroom, with the outcome likely to be watched closely by clubs across the country who rely on passionate, vocal fanbases but remain legally accountable for what appears in their colours.