EPL side Nottingham Forest fined £750,000 for social media post targeting VAR last season
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Nottingham Forest (red) and Chelsea players clashing during their English Premier League match in London on Oct 6, 2024.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Follow topic:
Nottingham Forest have been fined £750,000 (S$1.28 million) and warned for misconduct in relation to a social media post criticising the referee after their English Premier League defeat by Everton last season, the Football Association said on Oct 11.
The Midlands side were angered at being denied three penalty claims in the 2-0 loss at Goodison Park on April 21 and minutes after the game, they issued a statement on social media platform X accusing Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Stuart Attwell of being a Luton Town fan.
Forest were then involved in a relegation battle with Luton but they eventually finished 17th while Luton went down.
“The club denied that the comments posted on social media imply bias and/or question the integrity of the match officials and/or the video assistant referee and/or bring the game into disrepute,” the FA said in a statement.
“An independent regulatory commission found the charge to be proven following a hearing and imposed the club’s sanctions.”
At the time, Forest said on X: “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept.
“We warned the PGMOL (referees’ body) that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game but they didn’t change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times. NFFC will now consider its options.”
Forest, who said they would appeal against the decision, had asked for the fine to be suspended but the FA rejected the request.
“We are particularly concerned that the FA, in its submissions, sought a sanction ‘in excess of £1 million’,” Forest said in a statement.
“We believe that this request, along with the subsequent fine, is wholly disproportionate and the club will be appealing the decision.” REUTERS
