Former Premier League referee David Coote suspended over derogatory Klopp remarks

Disgraced ex-Premier League referee David Coote has been handed an eight-week suspension by the Football Association (FA) and ordered to attend an education programme for making disparaging comments about former Liverpool manager, Jürgen Klopp.

Coote was dismissed in December by Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) after a 2020 video resurfaced on social media in November, showing him making derogatory remarks about Klopp and Liverpool.

He has been further sanctioned by the FA for an “aggravated breach” of rule E3.2, because of the reference he made to Klopp’s German nationality in the video.

The FA’s written reasons for the verdict announced Tuesday said Coote expressed “deep remorse” and acknowledged his comments were “crass and inappropriate”.

Coote was charged by the FA in June, with the English game’s ruling body saying at the time he would face no further action in regard to separate allegations of gambling misconduct, which he had strenuously denied. The FA said those allegations had been fully investigated.

A video showing Coote snorting white powder, reportedly during Euro 2024, emerged in November.

Earlier this year European football’s governing body UEFA banned Coote from any officiating activity until June 2026.

In a January interview Coote came out as gay and said his struggle to hide his sexuality had contributed to bad choices.

AFP