Referee involved in recent Liverpool controversy sacked

The PGMOL has taken the decision to sack Premier League referee David Coote following the controversy involving Liverpool and former manager Jurgen Klopp.

The 42-year-old England manager’s actions led to widespread condemnations, including allegations of xenophobic remarks aimed at Klopp and other inappropriate behavior caught on film.

PGMOL, which governs refereeing in English football, launched an in-depth investigation into Coote’s behavior after a series of allegations surfaced. The findings of the investigation confirmed that Coote had breached the terms of his employment contract and as a result his position as a Premier League referee was deemed untenable.

In an official statement published on X, PGMOL confirmed Coote’s dismissal, although the arbitrator retains the right to appeal the decision:

The full statement read:

“Following the conclusion of a thorough investigation into David Coote’s conduct, his employment with PGMOL has been terminated today with immediate effect.”

“David Coote’s actions were found to be in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable.”

“Supporting David Coote continues to be important to us and we remain committed to his well-being.
David Coote has the right to appeal the decision to terminate his employment.

The controversy which led to the dismissal of David Coote

The controversy began with a leaked video in which Coote made derogatory and xenophobic comments towards Klopp. Reports suggest the footage dates back to the 2020-21 season, a time when Coote served as VAR during the Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton. In this match, Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford avoided punishment for a challenge that caused a season-ending injury to Virgil van Dijk, leading to significant criticism of Everton’s refereeing. Coote.

The situation worsened when another video surfaced showing Coote sniffing a white substance during Euro 2024. UEFA quickly suspended him while conducting their own investigation.

Initially, Coote denied the authenticity of the footage, but later reversed course, stating he did not remember the specific content of the conversation.

Following the investigation and PGMOL’s initial decision, UEFA also chose to remove Coote from the list of match officials under its jurisdiction, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.