David Coote, the Premier League referee who was banned, has revealed that he has been officiating in the top league as a gay man but kept it private due to concerns about discrimination.
David Coote was dismissed from his role as a Premier League referee on December 9 after an investigation into allegations about his conduct. His termination followed the spread of a video on social media, which allegedly showed Coote making offensive comments about Liverpool Football Club and their former manager, Jurgen Klopp.
The situation escalated further when, just two days later, the tabloid newspaper, The Sun, published photographs that allegedly depicted Coote inhaling a white powder through a rolled-up US dollar bill, raising serious questions about his professionalism and personal conduct.
Months after he was banned from officiating in the Premier League, David Coote concealed his sexuality for many years due to fears of potential abuse he might encounter as a gay man in a high-pressure profession.
In an interview with the Sun, Coote reflected on his experiences, stating, “I’m gay, and I have struggled with feeling proud of being ‘me’ over a long period.”
He acknowledged that the pressures of officiating over 100 top-flight games contributed to behavior that eventually led to his dismissal from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December.
Coote expressed regret for his past behavior, taking full responsibility for his actions: “This has been one of the most difficult periods of my life. I am truly sorry for any offense caused and for the negative spotlight it put on the game that I love.”
Coote shared his struggles with coming to terms with his sexuality. He described a “deep sense of shame” during his teenage years and recounted telling his parents at 21 and friends at 25. “While my sexuality isn’t the sole reason for my past actions, it’s an important part of my story,” he explained.
He emphasized that hiding his emotions and identity had significant consequences on his well-being: “I hid my emotions as a young ref and I hid my sexuality as well,” he said. “This has led to behaviors that I regret, and I am committed to being more authentic moving forward.”
