Premier League Referee David Coote Suspended Over Leaked Video
Premier League referee David Coote has been suspended by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) after the circulation of a video on social media allegedly showing him making offensive comments about Liverpool and their former manager, Jürgen Klopp.
What does the video show?
The video, which is currently unverified, has been widely shared on social media and reportedly shows Coote sitting next to another man while criticising Klopp.
The man the video claims is Coote refers to Klopp using explicit language and says, “Aside from having a right pop at me when I reffed them against Burnley in lockdown, then he accused me of lying and just had a right f---ing pop at me.” He further added, “I do my best not to speak to him,” while calling Liverpool “s---.”
The video also makes references to Coote's officiating of a Liverpool match during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The conversation, laced with expletives, seems to refer to a match in July 2020 between Liverpool and Burnley that ended in a 1-1 draw. In that game, Klopp had criticised Coote for allegedly overlooking fouls on Liverpool players, leading to a heated post-match exchange.
Coote, who has been officiating in the Premier League since 2018, most recently refereed Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday. The details of when the video was filmed and the details of how it ended up online are unclear, but it appears to have been recorded during the pandemic, given references to social distancing measures.
PGMOL launch investigation into video
PGMOL, the body responsible for officiating in the English football leagues, announced Coote’s suspension pending a full investigation into the video's authenticity. As of now, PGMOL has chosen not to comment further, emphasising that Coote’s suspension is in place while they investigate the video’s content.
According to a statement from PGMOL, “David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation.” The English Football Association (FA) has also launched its own inquiry into the matter.
Liverpool has acknowledged awareness of the video, but the club has so far declined to issue any official comments on the situation. Head of referees, Howard Webb, is set to appear on Match Officials: Mic'd Up to discuss the incident further, though no new details have emerged yet.
The leaked video has sparked controversy, especially given the professional standards expected of referees in the Premier League. Rick Parry, chairman of the English Football League, told BBC Sport, “PGMOL is dealing with it - they have suspended him - they've acted quickly and will make sure they deal with it thoroughly and professionally.”
If the video is confirmed to be genuine, it raises serious questions about Coote’s impartiality as a top-flight referee. For now, Coote has been removed from officiating duties, including his role as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR), while the investigation continues.
