New video puts ref Coote under fresh scrutiny

PGMOL, the refereeing body for English football, has confirmed that it is aware of a new video published by The Sun in which suspended Premier League referee David Coote is allegedly seen snorting a white powder.

Coote, 42, was stood down from duty pending the result of an investigation after a first video was posted to X on Monday which showed him making disparaging remarks about Liverpool and their former manager Jürgen Klopp.

The Sun claims the new video, which has not been verified by ESPN, was filmed by Coote and shared to a friend on WhatsApp. It was taken at a UEFA-appointed hotel on July 6 when he was on duty at Euro 2024, the day after his final appointment as support VAR for the Portugal vs. France quarterfinal.

A PGMOL spokesperson said: “We aware of the allegations and are taking them very seriously. David Coote remains suspended pending a full investigation. David’s welfare continues to be of utmost importance to us and we are committed to providing him with the ongoing necessary support he needs through this period. We are not in a position to comment further at this stage.”

Coote was due to act as a VAR for UEFA Nations League fixtures over the next week, but was immediately suspended by UEFA following the action taken by PGMOL. UEFA would not confirm which games Coote was due to work on.

In a statement issued after the latest video emerged on Wednesday evening, UEFA confirmed that Coote had been made ineligible for selection but made no comment about its contents or the allegation that it happened in a UEFA-appointed hotel.

A UEFA spokesperson told ESPN: “The UEFA Referees Committee immediately suspended David Coote until further notice on 11 November — in advance of the upcoming round of UEFA matches — when it became aware of his inappropriate behaviour.”