Nottingham Forest owner caught in heated confrontation at EuroLeague basketball final

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Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was at the centre of a confrontation during the EuroLeague Basketball final in Athens on Sunday, with videos shared online showing him involved in a tense exchange that required intervention from security personnel.

Marinakis, who also owns Olympiacos Basketball Club, was in attendance as the Greek side defeated Real Madrid 92-85 to claim the EuroLeague title.

Footage circulating on social media appeared to show the 58-year-old in a heated argument with another individual in the stands. Security officers and barriers were seen separating the two men, while Marinakis appeared with a torn shirt. The identity of the other person was not immediately clear from the video.

According to reports in Greek media, the individual involved was Grigoris Dimitriadis, a former adviser to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, although the claim has not been officially verified.

BBC Sport reported that Nottingham Forest had been contacted for a response to the incident.

The confrontation occurred on the same day Nottingham Forest concluded their Premier League season with a 1-1 draw against AFC Bournemouth, finishing 16th in the league standings.

Marinakis has previously been involved in controversies during his time as Forest owner. In 2024, he was handed a five-match stadium suspension after being found guilty of improper conduct following the club’s loss to Fulham.

The club was also fined £750,000 later that year over a social media post questioning the integrity of VAR official Stuart Attwell after a match against Everton, a post the Football Association described as “ill-chosen and irresponsible.”