The English Football Association has slapped a £750,000 fine on Nottingham Forest. The fine is part of the FA’s sanction on the club for bringing the game into disrepute with their action complaining over refereeing decisions in the game against Everton in April.
The sanction is coming after an investigation into a controversial statement made by the club in April. Confirming the sanction, the FA put out a statement on Friday which reads, “Nottingham Forest have been fined £750,000 and warned for misconduct in relation to comments posted on social media after their Premier League game against Everton on Sunday 21 April.
“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.
“An independent Regulatory Commission found the charge to be proven following a hearing and imposed the club’s sanctions.”
Forest was unhappy about some decisions during an important game against Everton where they were convinced that the officials denied them three penalty claims. They lost the game 2-0 at Everton’s home ground on April 21. The VAR for the game was Stuart Attwell who is a supporter of Forest’s relegation rivals at the time, Luton Town.
Forest thereafter released a statement which went viral. It read, “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept. We warned the PGMOL 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.”
Everton defender Ashley Young thrice avoided conceding a penalty during the game when he caught Forest’s Gio Reyna, touched the ball in the penalty box and challenged Callum Hudson-Odoi, getting away each time. His teammate James Tarkowski also escaped a penalty call when he handled the ball in the penalty area. Everton’s three points were sealed with goals from Idrissa Gana Gueye and Dwight McNeil.
It was subsequently revealed that although Forest contacted PGMOL chief Howard Webb through Mark Clattenburg before the game, they did not ask for Attwell to be replaced. Despite the controversy that ensued, Forest owner Evangelos Marina has maintained the club’s stance. He said, “The truth is this specific referee is known to be a Luton fan – and no doubt declared his interest to PGMOL, as all of them have to. In my opinion, PGMOL should not have selected him for this match.”
