Nottingham Forest chairman backs owner Evangelos Marinakis

Nottingham Forest chairman Nicholas Randall QC has given his full backing to the club's owner Evangelos Marinakis, following reports in Greece that he had been charged with drug trafficking.

Marinakis, who is also owner of Greek side Olympiakos, has always maintained his innocence and, in an open letter to Forest fans, Randall claims the charges against Marinakis have been dropped.

Marinakis said in a statement: "I have never had anything to do with the acts for which an investigative inquiry is to be conducted, the result of which I am absolutely certain to be the confirmation of my innocence.

"There is not the least evidence to me and the action against me is arbitrary."

Randall says he has no doubts the allegations are false and insists that Marinakis remains a "fit and proper person" to run the Championship club.

"I have no hesitation in confirming that I have no doubt at all that Mr Marinakis remains a fit and proper person to be the joint owner of Nottingham Forest Football Club," Randall said.

"The facts are clear and beyond doubt: Mr Marinakis has never been convicted of any criminal offence in any Court or Tribunal in any jurisdiction in the world."

He added: "I am happy to confirm that on Monday the highest Court in Greece agreed and ruled that this outstanding charge had no basis in fact or in law and should be dismissed."

Marinakis was cleared of four separate charges in November 2017 - relating to being involved in a criminal organisation, fraud, extortion and arson. He has been told he will face no action over allegedly being involved in the bombing of a referee's bakery.

However, the Judicial Council of Appeals, by two votes to one, decided that he should not be cleared of alleged match fixing in Greece and faces trial.

He has always denied any wrongdoing.