The former referee of the Premier League, Mark Halsey, says that the sexuality of David Coote was a police secret among his colleagues and says that the 42 -year -old deserves a second chance.
COOTE was dismissed by the Professional match of Limited match officials (PGMOL) in December after a video emerged from him using a derogatory language to Liverpool and the former manager of the Jurgen Klopp club.
He is still the subject of an UEFA investigation after a second clip showed him sniff cocaine while working in the European championship last summer.
Exclusive referee David Coote opens with his sexuality
Look at the full interview here: https://t.co/zrryeinsxz pic.twitter.com/oxajjfzc9x
– Le Soleil (@thesun) January 28, 2025
Coote admits bad choice
COOTE apologized to the sun last night in which he admitted having trouble being gay meant that he was not “in an ideal place” and had led to “really poor choice”.
He said, “My sexuality is not the only reason that led me to be in this position. But I do not tell an authentic story if I do not say that I am gay and that I had real difficulties in hiding that.
“I hid my emotions as a young reference and I also hid my sexuality – good quality as an arbitrator but a terrible quality as a human being. And that led me to a whole behavior lesson. »»
On the video who saw him call Klopp ac ***, he said: “I recognize that they [his remarks] fell well below the standards expected from a high -level referee and I deeply regret to say what I said. The comments do not reflect my opinions on any of the people concerned or my wider opinions in general. »»
Coote was also accused of having discussed with a friend the potential to show a yellow card to Ezgjan Alioski de Leeds before a match against West Brom in 2019.
However, he insisted on the fact: “There was no agreement before the match. I went and did my job. The player committed a yellow tackle. I did not receive anything for that.
“I am really disappointed that something like it is because he tarnishes the integrity of the game. And everything people think of me like a referee, like a human, I have always come out and I made my best in the field.
“I was not in an ideal place and I was giving messages to people who, with hindsight, I shouldn’t have trusted. I was naive. [I] I made really bad choices and I would really like to be able to go back now and do things differently. »»
He takes responsibility – Halsey
Halsey, who retired from the arbitration in 2013 after a 14 -year -old Premier League career, said Coote Honesty should be recognized.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Checking and assuming his responsibility for his actions, he does not apologize, he assumes full responsibility.
“He is a human being, we all make mistakes in life. Everyone makes mistakes in life and they deserve a second chance and no one should go through what David crosses. I really feel, really for him. When the referees meet, we have all said things about players or managers. »»
Coote received online threats and Halsey said he could sympathize after also suffering from Trolls during his career.
“He made mistakes and he does not deserve death threats,” he added. “I have already threatened with death against my family, my wife who was fighting leukemia. They wanted to see us dead with the cancer that comes back. Some of the things they wanted to do to my young girl were simply horrible. »»
“ We all knew the sexuality of David ”
Asked what reaction would have been if Coote came out gay when he still argued, Halsey said: “It would have been very difficult. It shouldn’t be like that. We all knew [fellow referees] on David’s sexuality. It didn’t bother us. He was a human being, he was a nice person, when he was his sexuality. So what? It’s about sharing people’s love and understanding and what they go through.
“Society today, it stinks and it is good that David made his friends and family show him the love and the company he needs to pass him. I hope PGMOL will help him through it. »»
