Former Premier League referee Coote given eight-week ban over Klopp comments

Disgraced former Premier League referee David Coote has been given an eight-week suspension by the Football Association and told to attend an education programme over disparaging comments he made about ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

Coote was sacked in December by Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) after a video circulated on social media the previous month of him making derogatory remarks about Klopp and Liverpool in 2020.

He has been further sanctioned by the FA for an “aggravated breach” of rule E3.2, because of the reference he made to Klopp’s German nationality in the video.

The FA’s written reasons for the verdict announced Tuesday said Coote expressed “deep remorse” and acknowledged his comments were “crass and inappropriate”.

Coote was charged by the FA in June, with the English game’s ruling body saying at the time he would face no further action in regard to separate allegations of gambling misconduct, which he had strenuously denied. The FA said those allegations had been fully investigated.

A video showing Coote snorting white powder, reportedly during Euro 2024, emerged in November.

Earlier this year European football’s governing body UEFA banned Coote from any officiating activity until June 2026.

In a January interview Coote came out as gay and said his struggle to hide his sexuality had contributed to bad choices.