The football world is talking about David Coote, the English Premier League referee caught on video insulting Liverpool, its former manager Jurgen Klopp, and allegedly snorting white powder while on duty during this year’s European Championships.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body responsible for refereeing games in English football, has suspended Coote pending an investigation. The UEFA Referees Committee has also suspended Coote until further notice.
Coote was suspended by PGMOL for several months during the 2017-18 season due to an investigation into his conduct but was later reinstated.
A spokesman for PGMOL said: “We are aware of the allegations and are taking them very seriously. David Coote remains suspended pending a full investigation.
“David’s welfare continues to be of utmost importance to us, and we are committed to providing him with the ongoing necessary support he needs through this period. We are not in a position to comment further at this stage.”
Although Coote has publicly expressed disdain for Liverpool and Klopp, there is currently no evidence of corruption, despite fans calling out “suspicious” calls against the Reds.
Before footage of Coote allegedly snorting the white powder came to light, pundit and former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said: “He’s called Jürgen Klopp the c-word, which is a very aggressive word. But I didn’t see anything that told me he had influenced decisions, or that he was looking to do Liverpool over.
“It’s something that I’m sure he’ll regret for the rest of his life. It might be difficult for him to referee Liverpool again, but I hope he can get through it.”
Since then, many others have called for Coote – who initially claimed the videos were fake, before admitting they were real but having no recollection of them – to be sacked.
PGMOL will likely issue a statement next week and will take advantage of this weekend’s international break to continue its investigation.
Meanwhile, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Tottenham have lodged legal notices reserving the right to claim compensation if Manchester City is found to have breached Premier League financial rules.
City faces 115 charges for breaking the Premier League’s financial regulations between 2009-2018, but no decision is expected until next year.
The four clubs, however, had to submit their legal notices after receiving advice from lawyers regarding the six-year statute of limitations, which expires in November 2018.
