Sacked Premier League referee receives extra punishment from FA

Former Premier League referee David Coote has been handed an eight-week suspension by the Football Association (FA) for making derogatory comments about ex-Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, including a reference to his nationality.

The FA ruled that Coote’s remarks, captured in a video filmed in July 2020 but leaked online in November 2024, constituted an “aggravated breach” of Rule E3.2.

The 42-year-old admitted the charge, expressed “deep remorse,” and will also undergo a mandatory face-to-face education programme.

Coote, who was sacked by the Premier League in December 2024, had already been suspended the previous month when the clip surfaced.

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) removed him from duty after an internal investigation.

The fallout was compounded by a separate leaked video from Euro 2024 showing Coote sniffing a white powder while on duty. In February 2025, UEFA banned him from officiating in European competitions until June 2026.

In January, Coote publicly came out as gay, revealing that he had hidden his sexuality throughout his refereeing career for fear of abuse.

He told the FA that he believed he was speaking in a “private” setting at the time of the Klopp comments, but accepted that the footage, recorded shortly after the first COVID-19 lockdown, was “likely to cause hurt and reputational damage” once made public.

Coote was cleared in June 2025 of gambling misconduct allegations relating to a discussion about issuing a yellow card before a match. He also said the pandemic years had taken a significant toll on his mental health.