LONDON (AP) — Former Premier League referee David Coote has been banned for eight weeks and ordered to take a face-to-face education program for making offensive comments about Jürgen Klopp in a private video that ended up being widely circulated on social media, leading to the match official getting fired.
Coote admitted to a Football Association charge of acting “in an improper manner” and/or using “abusive and/or insulting words” in a video recorded around July 2020.
Two videos, apparently filmed using a phone, circulated on social media appearing to show Coote giving his personal opinion on Liverpool and Klopp, its long-time former manager, when asked by an unidentified man.
Coote uses an expletive for Liverpool and a derogatory term for Klopp, saying he disliked the German manager because he was “arrogant” and “accused me of lying” after one game.
The FA charge including an allegation that Coote’s actions constituted an “aggravated breach” of rules because they “included a reference — whether express or implied — to nationality.”
An independent regulatory commission announced on Tuesday it had imposed the new sanctions on Coote following a hearing.
Coote was initially suspended for his conduct and then fired in December because his position was deemed “untenable” by English soccer’s referees body following an investigation into his conduct.
Coote was also investigated by the FA following allegations in British newspaper The Sun that he discussed with a fan the possibility of giving a yellow card to a player in a match. The former referee denied any wrongdoing and the FA said in June that no charges were issued in relation to that investigation.
Separately, UEFA launched an investigation into Coote following a video, again published by The Sun, allegedly showing him using cocaine during the European Championship this year.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
The Associated Press
