Former referee David Coote has decided not to appeal against his contract termination by the referees’ body PGMOL, according to PA news agency. Earlier this month, Coote was dismissed following the surfacing of a video where he made derogatory comments about Liverpool and their ex-manager Jurgen Klopp.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) stated that after a comprehensive investigation, it was concluded that Coote was "in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable". On December 9, PGMOL added in their statement: "Supporting David Coote continues to be important to us and we remain committed to his welfare." Although Coote had the right to challenge the decision, PA understands that the Nottinghamshire referee has chosen not to.
The video which sparked PGMOL’s probe into Coote’s behaviour first came into public view on November 11. In the video, Coote is asked for his opinion on a Liverpool match where he served as the fourth official, and he refers to them as "s***".
He then labels Klopp as a "c***", and when asked why, Coote says the German had "a right pop at me when I reffed them against Burnley in lockdown" and accused him of lying. "I have got no interest in speaking to someone who’s f****** arrogant, so I do my best not to speak to him," Coote said.
Later in the video, Coote again mentions Klopp, this time calling him a "German c***".
The Football Association has launched an investigation into a video, focusing on whether Coote's reference to Klopp's nationality constituted an aggravated breach of its misconduct rules. The PGMOL's investigation, which resulted in the termination of Coote's contract, is also believed to have examined another video showing Coote allegedly snorting a white substance during Euro 2024, where he served as one of the assistant VARs.
UEFA, European football's governing body, has also appointed an ethics investigator to probe the matter.
