Ex-Premier League referee Coote bags eight-week BAN

Former Premier League referee David Coote has been given an eight-week suspension by the Football Association for comments made about ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp on social media

Coote, who was sacked by the Premier League in December 2024, has been further sanctioned by the FA for an “aggravated breach” of rule E3.2, because of the reference he made to Klopp’s nationality in the video.

The clip, which was filmed around July 2020, was leaked online in November 2024.

Coote admitted the charge.

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

As well as his suspension, Coote must undergo a mandatory face-to-face education programme.

The 42-year-old was initially suspended in November 2024 when the online clip showed him making derogatory comments about Klopp and Liverpool.

He was sacked a month later by Premier League referees’ body the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) following an investigation into his conduct.

Coote was also banned in February by Uefa from officiating in European competition until 30 June 2026.

A video – separate to the one in which he made reference to Klopp’s nationality – emerged in November of Coote sniffing a white powder when he was on duty at Euro 2024, which is organised by Uefa.

He revealed in January that he was gay, and had hidden his sexuality during his professional career through fear of abuse.

Coote, who did not attend the hearing, said he thought he was speaking in a “private” setting when he made the comments about Klopp and Liverpool.

In June, Coote was cleared of any gambling misconduct following claims that he discussed issuing a yellow card to a player prior to a match.

However, Coote accepted that the video in which he made remarks about Klopp, which was filmed after the UK emerged from the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, was “likely to cause hurt and reputational damage” once it entered the public domain.

He said the pandemic and the years since had significantly impacted his mental health.