Premier League referee David Coote has been dismissed from his position with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) after an investigation found his actions to be in serious breach of his contract.
The PGMOL, the body responsible for overseeing referees in English soccer, announced Coote’s termination on Monday, stating that the decision was made “with immediate effect” following a “thorough investigation into [his] conduct.”
The investigation was launched after a video circulated on social media last month, allegedly showing Coote abusing former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp. The Football Association (FA) also initiated a separate investigation into further allegations against Coote.
According to reports, the FA was looking into claims that Coote had discussed booking a player the day before a game with a friend, which the referee denied. Additionally, The Sun newspaper published a video that it claimed showed Coote appearing to snort white powder during his time working as a match official at Euro 2024, prompting UEFA to launch its own investigation and suspend the 42-year-old.
In its statement, the PGMOL expressed that “supporting David Coote continues to be important to us and we remain committed to his welfare.” However, the organization deemed his actions to be untenable, leading to his immediate dismissal.
Coote has the right to appeal the decision, and it remains to be seen how the various investigations into his conduct will ultimately unfold.
