Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has gone on trial in Athens accused of inciting football violence and supporting a criminal organisation.
The 58-year-old, who also owns Greek champions Olympiacos, faces two misdemeanour charges — instigating violence through public statements against authorities and supporting a criminal group between 2019 and 2024 — alongside four other Olympiacos board members.
Marinakis, represented in court by lawyer Vassilis Dimakopoulos, has rejected the allegations as baseless. “The accusations are totally unfounded,” Dimakopoulos told BBC Sport.
In total, 142 fans are facing charges of membership in a criminal organisation and causing life-threatening explosions at sporting events, with seven accused of leading the group. All have denied any wrongdoing.
The case relates to the 2023 death of 31-year-old riot police officer George Lyngeridis, who was fatally injured by a flare during violent clashes outside a women’s volleyball match between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos.
The trial is expected to span several months, with more than 200 witnesses set to testify.
