Suspended Premier League official, David Coote has reportedly claimed he took cocaine to help with the pressures of hiding his sexuality and being an elite referee.
Following his initial ban due to released footage of him calling former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp a “c–t” and seemingly snorting white powder while serving as a match official at Euro 2024, Coote was fired by the PGMOL.
The 42-year-old claimed that trying to hide the fact that he is gay was a contributing factor in this behavior.
His comments against Klopp and, separately, accusations that he discussed with a friend the idea of giving Leeds United’s Ezgjan Alioski a yellow card prior to a 2019 match against West Bromwich Albion are the subject of an FA inquiry into possible aggravated misconduct. Coote refuted any indication of misconduct.
See Also: Aston Villa Compete With Milan For Joao Felix
“I felt a deep sense of shame during my teenage years in particular,” he told The Sun. “I didn’t come out to my parents until I was 21. Didn’t come out to my friends until I was 25.
“My sexuality isn’t the only reason that led me to be in that position. But I’m not telling an authentic story if I don’t say that I’m gay, and that I’ve had real struggles dealing with hiding that.
“I hid my emotions as a young ref and I hid my sexuality as well — a good quality as a referee but a terrible quality as a human being. And that’s led me to a whole course of behaviours.”
COMMENTS