Former Premier League referee David Coote has been charged by the Football Association (FA) for remarks he made about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in a video leaked online.
The 42-year-old was suspended in November 2024 after the video surfaced, showing him making disrespectful comments about Klopp and Liverpool.
A month later, he was dismissed by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) after a comprehensive investigation into his behavior.
The FA has charged Coote under rule E3.1, which claims he acted improperly and/or used abusive or insulting language.
The reference to Klopp’s nationality in the video is considered an “aggravated” violation.
However, Coote has been cleared of any allegations related to gambling misconduct, which suggested he had discussed giving a yellow card to a player before a match.
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He denied these gambling allegations, calling them “false and defamatory.”
In February, Uefa banned Coote from officiating in European competitions until June 30, 2026.
This decision followed the emergence of a video showing him using a white powder while on duty at Euro 2024, an event organized by Uefa.
In January, Coote publicly came out as gay, revealing that he had concealed his sexuality throughout his career due to fear of backlash.
He also admitted to developing a drug addiction but stated that he has since overcome it through therapy.
