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 after making offensive remarks about former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp.
Coote, who was sacked by PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Ltd) in December 2024, had been caught on video making disparaging comments about Klopp and Liverpool dating back to 2020. The footage surfaced online in November.
The FA found Coote guilty of an “aggravated breach” of Rule E3.2 due to a comment that referenced Klopp’s German nationality, making the offence more serious.
In its decision, announced Tuesday, the FA noted that Coote had shown “deep remorse” and admitted his remarks were “crass and inappropriate.”
The 41-year-old was formally charged in June. However, the FA stated he would face no further action regarding separate gambling allegations, which were fully investigated and denied by Coote.
The scandal followed another incident in late 2024, when a video surfaced allegedly showing Coote snorting a white powder during Euro 2024. In response, UEFA banned him from officiating in any capacity until June 2026.
Earlier this year, Coote publicly came out as gay, saying that years of hiding his sexuality had contributed to poor personal choices.
