Former Premier League referee David Coote has been charged by the Football Association over his comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
In December 2022, Coote was sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) after a video of him making negative comments about Klopp in July 2020 emerged online in November of that year.
In one of his comments, he touched on Klopp's nationality, and the Football Association noted that this was an alleged “serious breach” of the rules.
The FA said Coote would not face further action in relation to separate allegations of gambling offences, which he categorically denies. The FA added that the allegations had been thoroughly investigated.
Confirming Kut's dismissal in December last year, the PGMOL said his situation had become “unacceptable” following the release of the video.
In the recording, Coote is heard saying that being the fourth official at a Liverpool game in the summer of 2020 was “horrible” and calling Klopp a “German bastard”. He also expressed the opinion that Klopp was “extremely arrogant”.
In February, UEFA banned Kouta until June 30, 2026 after another video emerged of him inhaling white powder through a banknote while in Germany for the European Championships last summer.
In January, Coote publicly came out as gay in an interview with The Sun and said the constant struggle to hide his sexuality had contributed to his attacks on Klopp and his drug use.
“My sexual orientation is not the only reason why I found myself in this situation. But I can't tell the whole truth without mentioning that I am gay and that it was extremely difficult for me to hide it,” he said.
“I repressed my emotions as a young judge and hid my sexuality – which can be a good thing for a judge, but it's terrible for a person. And that led to different patterns of behaviour.”
The Football Association has not set a date by which Coote must answer to the charges.
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Sourse: breakingnews.ie
