David Coote, a Premier League referee, has been suspended with immediate effect by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) following the circulation of a video on social media.
This video allegedly shows Coote making derogatory remarks about Liverpool Football Club and their former manager, Jurgen Klopp. Here are the key points from the situation:
The video in question appears to show Coote using expletives to describe Liverpool as “s***” and Jurgen Klopp with offensive language, specifically calling him “arrogant” and using a derogatory term. This has led to widespread attention and controversy.
The footage seems to date back to the 2020-21 season, referencing a game where Coote was involved, possibly as a fourth official, and his comments were in response to a question about a Liverpool match he officiated.
The PGMOL has confirmed Coote’s suspension and announced that they will conduct a full investigation. They have stated that no further comments will be made until the investigation concludes.
Coote has been involved in controversial decisions in the past, including VAR duties in matches where Liverpool felt they were wronged by referee decisions, adding context to the current situation.
This suspension comes into effect immediately, and while the investigation is ongoing, Coote will not be available for selection as a referee or VAR in Premier League games. The focus now is on the investigation’s outcome, which will determine the next steps in Coote’s career and any further actions by PGMOL or the FA.
