For a social media post that mocked VAR during the previous season, Forest fined £750,000

The Football Association announced on Friday that Nottingham Forest has been fined 750,000 pounds ($979,500) and issued a warning for misconduct in connection with a social media post that criticized the referee following their Premier League loss to Everton last season.

Forest was incensed by the denial of three penalty claims in the 2-0 loss and issued a statement on social media platform X minutes after the game, accusing Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Stuart Attwell of being a Luton Town fan.

Forest was engaged in a relegation battle with Luton at the time; however, they ultimately concluded in 17th place, while Luton was relegated. Forest announced that they would file an appeal against the FA’s decision.

“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 Football Association stated in a statement.

“An independent Regulatory Commission found the charge to be proven following a hearing and imposed the club’s sanctions.”

Forest commented on X shortly after the game, opening a new tab: “Three penalties were not awarded, which we are unable to accept. These were three extremely poor decisions.”

“We informed the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) of the VAR’s Luton fandom prior to the game; however, they did not modify him.” Our forbearance has been put to the test on numerous occasions. NFFC will now evaluate its alternatives.

The FA asserted that no other professional club had ever violated its regulations intended to regulate the use of social media in this manner, characterizing it as a “public attack on the integrity of a match official on an unprecedented scale.”

“Even the drafters of the rule could not have foreseen a breach of this nature by a professional club,” according to the report.

Additionally, they stated that Forest’s concerns prior to the match “were not substantial enough to warrant Attwell’s recusal.”

The FA rejected Forest’s request to suspend the sanction.

“We are particularly concerned that the FA, in its submissions, sought a sanction ‘in excess of 1,000,000 pounds’,” the Forest Corporation stated in a statement.

“We believe that this request, along with the subsequent fine, is wholly disproportionate and the club will be appealing the decision.”

($1 is equivalent to 0.7657 pounds)