Premier League Referee David Coote was dismissed from his position with Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) after an investigation found his actions constituted a serious breach of his contract.
The PGMOL, the body responsible for overseeing English football referees, announced Coote’s dismissal on Monday, saying the decision had been taken “with immediate effect” following a “thorough investigation into (his) conduct”. .
The investigation was launched after a video circulated on social media last month showing Coote abusing the former Liverpool manager. Jurgen Klopp. The Football Association (FA) has also launched a separate investigation into other allegations against Coote.
The FA was reportedly investigating allegations that Coote discussed booking a player the day before a match with a friend, which the referee denied. Additionally, The Sun newspaper published a video it said showed Coote appearing to sniff white powder while working as a match official at Euro 2024, prompting UEFA to launch its own investigation and to suspend the 42-year-old player.
In its statement, the PGMOL said “supporting David Coote continues to be important to us and we remain committed to his welfare”. However, the organization deemed his actions untenable, leading to his immediate dismissal.
Coote has the right to appeal the decision, and it remains to be seen how the various investigations into his conduct will ultimately play out.
