Referee under fire for continued controversy, Klopp calls for increased sanctions
Former Premier League Referee David Coote Faces Double Suspension
David Coote, a former English referee, is currently serving suspensions from both the English Football Association (FA) and UEFA. The FA has suspended Coote for eight weeks, starting in August 2025, due to offensive comments he made about former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp. Meanwhile, UEFA has suspended him until June 30, 2026, due to a separate doping-related incident.
The FA suspension stems from derogatory comments Coote made about Klopp in a video recorded around July 2020 but circulated widely on social media in November 2024. The comments were deemed an aggravated breach of FA Rule E3.1 and E3.2 because they included abusive and insulting words as well as a reference to Klopp’s nationality. Coote admitted the charge, apologized publicly and privately to Klopp, the FA, and the wider football community, but his employment with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) was terminated in December 2024.
The UEFA suspension was announced in February 2025 and is due to a video showing Coote allegedly snorting a white powder during the European Championship in 2025. This incident occurred while Coote was part of the team of officials for the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) at the EM.
It is unclear whether Coote has been active as an official recently. The English referee's organization had already terminated its relationship with Coote in December of the previous year. The FA sanctions mean Coote could theoretically return to refereeing after the suspension and education programme, though PGMOL chief Howard Webb has expressed doubt about him making a comeback due to the severity of the issues.
Coote attributed the derogatory comments partly to mental health struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic. He admitted the remarks and deeply regretted them, stating they were "crass, inappropriate, and unbecoming of his role." The FA has also required Coote to attend a training event as part of his sanctions.
The video in question was recorded during the European Championship in Germany, and Coote served as the assistant VAR for the round of 16 match between Germany and Denmark. The exact nature of the UEFA suspension's doping-related incident is not clear.
[1] FA Statement: David Coote Suspended for Eight Weeks [2] PGMOL Statement: David Coote Terminated [3] UEFA Statement: David Coote Suspended Until 2026 [4] BBC News: David Coote Suspended for Racist Remarks [5] The Guardian: David Coote Suspended for Offensive Remarks
[1] Despite his suspensions from the FA and UEFA, David Coote, a former Premier League referee, remains a topic of general-news discussion.
[2] The crime-and-justice implications of Coote's actions extend beyond the football field, as his derogatory comments and alleged doping incident have resulted in his termination from Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) and a suspension from both the FA and UEFA.
[3] In the realm of sports, specifically European leagues and the Premier League, the absence of Coote as a referee is significant, as he is currently serving suspensions that keep him out of the field until at least June 30, 2026, due to the UEFA sanctions.
