The referee in disgrace, David Coote, was forbidden to formalize in any UEFA match until the end of June 2026 after being filmed by sniffing cocaine during Euro 2024.
Coote was dismissed by the arbitrated body of the Premier League Pgmol in December after the release of a video in which he used a derogatory language to describe Liverpool and their former boss Jurgen Klopp.
A second video then showed that Coote was sniffing a white powder through a bank note that he admitted later was the medication.
The law would have taken place in a UEFA hotel, one day after Coote was in service Var for the quarter -final between France and Portugal.
A disciplinary press release from UEFA has confirmed its sanction today.
He said that he had “raped the basic rules of decent driving” and “brought football sport, and UEFA in particular, in slow motion” and prohibited it for 16 months.
Coote blames the stress of hiding sexuality
Coote later explained that his actions had been caused by the stress of hiding his homosexuality.
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
He said to the Sun, the newspaper who had exposed him before: “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 received the support of the former colleague
Mark 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 last month: “Coming and assume full 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. »»
