David Coote officiated at the 2024 Euros

FA Bans Former Referee David Coote Over Klopp Video

David Coote Hit With FA Ban Over Klopp Video

Former Premier League referee David Coote has been handed an eight-week suspension by the Football Association for making derogatory comments about ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in a leaked video.

The FA confirmed the punishment for an “aggravated breach” of rule E3.2, citing Coote’s reference to Klopp’s nationality in the clip, which was filmed around July 2020 and leaked in November 2024.

Sacked by PGMOL and Banned by UEFA

Coote, 42, was sacked by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December 2024 following an internal investigation. He was also banned by UEFA in February from officiating in European competition until 30 June 2026 after a separate video emerged of him sniffing a white powder while on duty at Euro 2024.

Coote’s Response and FA Sanctions

The FA’s written reasons note that Coote showed “deep remorse” and admitted his comments were “crass and inappropriate”.

As well as the suspension, Coote must complete a mandatory face-to-face education programme. He did not attend the FA hearing, stating he believed he was speaking in a private setting when making the remarks.

Coote said the pandemic years had “significantly impacted” his mental health and accepted the video was likely to cause hurt and reputational damage.