Former Premier League referee David Coote has been suspended for eight weeks by the Football Association (FA) and ordered to attend an education programme after making disparaging comments about ex-Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp.
Coote was sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) in December, after a video from November surfaced showing him making derogatory remarks about Klopp and Liverpool, dating back to 2020.
The FA ruled his conduct an “aggravated breach” of rule E3.2, citing references to Klopp’s German nationality. Announcing the decision on Tuesday, the FA said Coote had shown “deep remorse” and admitted the remarks were “crass and inappropriate.”
He was charged in June, but the FA confirmed no further action would be taken over separate gambling allegations, which he denied, following a full investigation.
In a separate incident, a video allegedly showing Coote snorting white powder during Euro 2024 led UEFA to ban him from officiating until June 2026.
Earlier this year, Coote publicly came out as gay, saying the pressure of hiding his sexuality had contributed to some of his poor decisions.
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