Disgraced former Premier League referee David Coote has been handed an eight-week suspension by the Football Association (FA) and ordered to attend an education programme following disparaging remarks he made about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Coote was dismissed in December by Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) after a video surfaced on social media showing him making derogatory comments about Klopp and Liverpool in 2020.
The FA further sanctioned Coote for an “aggravated breach” of rule E3.2, citing his reference to Klopp’s German nationality in the video.
In a written statement explaining the verdict announced Tuesday, the FA said Coote expressed “deep remorse” and admitted that his comments were “crass and inappropriate.”
Coote was charged by the FA in June. At the time, the governing body confirmed he would face no further action related to separate gambling misconduct allegations, which he had strongly denied following a thorough investigation.
In November, a video emerged reportedly showing Coote snorting white powder during Euro 2024.
Earlier this year, UEFA banned Coote from any officiating activity until June 2026.
In a January interview, Coote publicly came out as gay and revealed that his struggle to hide his sexuality had contributed to some of his poor decisions.
AFP
