Premier League Charges Ex-Referee Coote Over Klopp Video
Former Premier League referee David Coote has been charged by the Football Association for his comments about former Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp in a video that went viral on social media.
He was suspended in November 2024 after he was filmed making derogatory comments about Klopp, and Liverpool.
Subsequently, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) confirmed the termination of Coote’s employment in December after investigating the video.
The Football Association has now charged him for the comments made in the video, however, he has been cleared of allegations of gambling misconduct.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by the FA.
The statement read: “David Coote has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to comments that he made about Jurgen Klopp in a video recorded around July 2020 which appeared on social media in November 2024.
“It’s alleged that the referee acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words contrary to FA Rules E3.1.
“It’s further alleged that this constitutes an ‘Aggravated Breach’, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2m as it included a reference – whether expressed or implied – to nationality.
“No charges have been issued in relation to allegations of gambling misconduct against David Coote, which were also fully investigated.”
In January, Coote came out as gay and said that a lifelong struggle to hide his sexuality had contributed to the rant about Klopp.
In February, Coote was banned by UEFA until June 30 2026 after a different video emerged of him snorting a white powder through a bank note while in Germany for last summer’s Euros.
Coote first refereed a game in the Premier League in April 2018
Premier League Charges Ex-Referee Coote Over Klopp Video is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
