Nottingham Forest owner sues Crystal Palace over ‘gun’ banner

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has initiated legal action against Crystal Palace over a banner displayed by the club's supporters. The banner depicted Marinakis pointing a gun at the head of Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. Lawyers for Marinakis filed the libel claim at the UK High Court on Monday, naming CPFC Limited, the owner of Crystal Palace, as a defendant. The banner was displayed at Selhurst Park during a 1-1 Premier League draw last August and featured the text: 'Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption.' Marinakis has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding these allegations. In November 2025, the Football Association charged Crystal Palace for failing to ensure their fans did not behave in an improper, offensive, abusive, or provocative manner. While the FA did not explicitly state the banner was the cause of the charge, football regulations impose strict limits on messages containing defamatory, political, or offensive content. Gibbs-White, an England international, was linked with a move away from Forest last summer when it appeared Tottenham might trigger a £60 million release clause. He ultimately signed a new contract and remained at the club, later discussing his decision in a joint interview with Marinakis. Forest, under Marinakis's ownership, took Crystal Palace's place in the Europa League last season after Palace were moved to the Europa Conference League due to UEFA's multi-club ownership regulations. BBC Sport has contacted both Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest for comment.