Former Premier League referee David Coote has received an eight-week suspension from the Football Association and must attend an education programme over offensive remarks made about former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp.
Coote was dismissed by the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) in December after a 2020 video resurfaced online, showing him making derogatory comments about Klopp and Liverpool.
The FA ruled that Coote committed an “aggravated breach” of Rule E3.2, due to a reference to Klopp’s German nationality. In its decision published Tuesday, the FA noted that Coote showed “deep remorse” and admitted his remarks were “crass and inappropriate.”
Coote was charged by the FA in June, though the governing body stated no further action would be taken on separate gambling allegations, which he strongly denied and were fully investigated.
A video of Coote snorting a white substance, reportedly during Euro 2024, surfaced in November.
Earlier this year, UEFA banned him from officiating until June 2026.
In a January interview, Coote publicly came out as gay, revealing that the pressure of hiding his sexuality contributed to some poor decisions.
