Eala survives injury scare, sees off scrappy McNally to stay alive in Canadian Open

LONDON: Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has launched legal action against Crystal Palace over a controversial banner displayed by Palace supporters during a Premier League match last year, according to reports. Marinakis’ legal team reportedly filed a defamation claim against Crystal Palace and unidentified individuals at the High Court in London on Monday. The action comes almost a year after the banner was displayed during the clubs’ 1-1 Premier League draw at Selhurst Park. The banner depicted Marinakis appearing to hold a gun to the head of Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. It also contained a message referring to allegations of blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking and corruption. Marinakis, a Greek shipping and media businessman, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in relation to such allegations. The incident had already drawn disciplinary attention from English football authorities. In November 2025, the Football Association charged Crystal Palace with failing to ensure that its supporters did not behave in an improper, offensive, abusive or provocative manner. The club was subsequently fined £50,000 ($67,000) over the incident. The dispute comes against a backdrop of heightened tensions between the two clubs. The match in August 2025 was played after Nottingham Forest replaced Palace in the Europa League, while Crystal Palace were moved to the Conference League following a UEFA ruling related to its multi-club ownership structure. The controversy surrounding the banner has now moved beyond football disciplinary procedures and into the courts, potentially putting the relationship between the two clubs under further scrutiny. Marinakis, 59, is a prominent figure in European football. Besides Forest, he owns Greek club Olympiacos and Portugal’s Rio Ave, making him one of the more influential multi-club owners in the sport. The latest legal action could reignite debate over the limits of fan expression and where football rivalry crosses into potentially defamatory or threatening territory. Crystal Palace have yet to publicly respond to the reported High Court claim. The case could now determine whether the provocative banner amounts to legally actionable defamation.

Bangladesh produced a remarkable batting display against Australia in the Darwin Test, taking a commanding 228-run first-innings lead despite Josh Hazlewood’s six-wicket haul. Bangladesh were bowled out for 426 after showing tremendous resilience against Australia’s pace attack. Mehidy Hasan Miraz played the starring role in the lower order, frustrating the Australian bowlers for nearly 50 overs and completing his 12th Test half-century. Hazlewood eventually ended Mehidy’s stubborn resistance after lunch on the third day before removing Taijul Islam’s partner, completing six wickets in the innings. His performance also brought a major personal milestone as he became only the ninth Australian bowler to reach 300 Test wickets. The fast bowler also claimed his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Remarkably, all four wickets to fall during the third day belonged to Hazlewood, keeping Australia in the contest despite Bangladesh’s substantial advantage. Mehidy was well supported by Mahmoud, Taijul Islam and Taskin Ahmed as Bangladesh continued to stretch Australia’s bowling attack. The visitors also benefited from Australia’s fielding lapses, with the hosts dropping five catches during the innings. Earlier, Bangladesh had built a strong platform through Tanzid Hasan’s maiden Test century and a determined half-century from captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. Australia’s first innings had already ended in disappointment after Hasan Mahmud claimed six wickets, exposing weaknesses in the home side’s batting. Bangladesh’s huge lead now puts Australia under considerable pressure. With their bowlers needing early breakthroughs, the hosts face a demanding task to recover momentum and keep the Darwin Test within reach.