Former Premier League referee David Coote has been handed an eight-week ban by the Football Association (FA) for making derogatory comments about former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp in a video that went viral last year. The video, recorded in July 2020 but only surfacing on social media in November 2024, led to Coote’s dismissal from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the organization responsible for referees in English soccer.
The FA charged Coote in June, and an independent Regulatory Commission imposed the ban along with a mandatory face-to-face education program after Coote admitted to the charge. The commission deemed Coote’s actions an “Aggravated Breach” of FA Rule E3.2, citing references to nationality in his comments about Klopp. As a result, Coote is not only suspended for eight weeks but also banned from any UEFA refereeing activity until June 2026.
In addition to the controversy surrounding his comments about Klopp, Coote has faced further scrutiny after The Sun published a video allegedly showing him snorting white powder during his time as a match official at Euro 2024. Coote has since apologized for his actions, acknowledging the gravity of his mistakes.
