David Coote officiated at the 2024 European Championship Former Premier League referee David Coote has been charged by the Football Association for comments made about ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in a video that was leaked on social media. The 42-year-old wassuspended in November 2024after the clip showed him making derogatory comments about Klopp and Liverpool. Coote wassacked a month laterby the Premier League referees' body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) following a "thorough investigation" into his conduct. The FA has now charged Coote in relation to rule E3.1, which alleges he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words. It says reference to Klopp's nationality in the video constituted an "aggravated" breach. However, Coote has been cleared of any gambling misconduct following claims that the referee had discussedissuing a yellow card to a playerprior to a match. Coote had denied the gambling misconduct claims, saying the allegation was "false and defamatory". In February, Coote wasbanned by Uefafrom officiating in European competition until 30 June 2026. A video of Coote sniffing a white powder when he was on duty at Euro 2024, which is organised by Uefa, emerged in November. Coote revealed in January that he was gay, and hadhid his sexualityduring his professional career through fear of abuse. He admitted to theSun newspaper,externalthat he had developed a drug habit, but had overcome that through therapy.
Sacked referee Coote charged by FA over Klopp video
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"Former Referee David Coote Charged by FA Over Comments About Jurgen Klopp"
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TruthLens AI Summary
David Coote, a former Premier League referee, has been charged by the Football Association (FA) after derogatory comments he made about ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp were leaked in a video that circulated on social media. The 42-year-old was initially suspended in November 2024 after the clip revealed his inappropriate remarks regarding Klopp and Liverpool. Following a comprehensive investigation conducted by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), Coote was dismissed from his officiating duties a month later. The FA has now accused him of violating rule E3.1, which pertains to improper conduct, suggesting that his remarks may have been abusive or insulting. The FA's charge highlights that references to Klopp's nationality in the leaked video represented an aggravated breach of the regulations. Despite these serious allegations, Coote has been cleared of any wrongdoing related to gambling misconduct, which stemmed from claims that he discussed issuing a yellow card to a player before a match. Coote firmly denied these gambling allegations, labeling them as false and defamatory.
In addition to the FA's charges, Coote faced significant scrutiny after a video surfaced of him appearing to sniff a white powder while officiating at the Euro 2024 tournament, an event organized by UEFA. As a consequence of these incidents, he received a ban from UEFA that prohibits him from officiating in European competitions until June 30, 2026. In a personal revelation earlier this year, Coote publicly came out as gay, sharing that he had concealed his sexuality throughout his professional career due to fears of potential abuse. He acknowledged in an interview that he had struggled with a drug habit but has since sought therapy and successfully overcome those challenges. These events have not only impacted Coote's career but also shed light on broader issues regarding mental health and the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals in sports officiating.
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