Disgraced Premier League referee comes out as gay and explains why he took cocaine
Disgraced Premier League referee David Coote has come out as gay and says he took cocaine to ‘escape’ the ‘stresses and relentlessness of the job’.
Coote, 42, was sacked by referees’ body PGMOL in December following a ‘thorough investigation’ into his conduct.
In a series of leaked videos, Coote was filmed making derogatory comments about Liverpool and former Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp, and appearing to take drugs.
Coote officiated his first Premier League game in April 2018 and went on to referee over 100 English top-flight matches.
Speaking out on his sacking for the first time, Coote admitted to taking cocaine as an ‘escape’ to the pressures of his job.
‘It’s not something I was reliant on day by day, week by week, month by month,’ an emotional Coote told The Sun.
‘I’ve had long periods where I’ve not used it — but it was one of the escape routes I had.
‘Just getting away from the stresses, the relentlessness of the job. It fills me with a huge sense of shame to say that I took that route.
‘I don’t recognise myself in the cocaine video. I can’t resonate with how I felt then, but that was me.
‘I was struggling with the schedule and there was no opportunity to stop. And so I found myself in that position – escaping.’
PGMOL statement on David Coote
‘Following the conclusion of a thorough investigation into David Coote’s conduct, his employment with PGMOL has been terminated today with immediate effect.
‘David Coote’s actions were found to be in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable.
‘Supporting David Coote continues to be important to us and we remain committed to his welfare.
‘David Coote has a right to appeal the decision to terminate his employment.’
Coote lost his mum ‘very suddenly’ in 2023 and then had a busy period working at the U17 World Cup and Paris Olympics as well as in the Premier League.
He says struggling to accept his sexuality contributed to his drug use having had a ‘deep sense of shame’ since his teenage years.
‘I didn’t come out to my parents until I was 21. I didn’t come out to my friends until I was 25,’ he said.
‘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.
‘I put on this hard exterior. Football became a place where I could go and referee and be engrossed in the game.
Coote made a derogatory comment about Jurgen Klopp
‘But then I’d come home and it would be more difficult because I’m living a double sense of being.
‘To other people who are in my situation, I’d say seek help and talk to somebody because if you bottle it up like I have done it has to come out in some way.’
Coote says losing his job was ‘incredibly tough’ as it marked the end of a passion for referee that started almost 30 years ago.
‘I’ve had issues around my self-esteem – and that relates to my sexuality,’ he added. ‘I’m gay and I’ve struggled with feeling proud of being ‘me’ over a long period of time.
‘I have received deeply unpleasant abuse during my career as a ref and to add my sexuality to that would have been really difficult.
‘There’s a lot to be done throughout football and more widely in society with regard to discrimination.
‘I didn’t want to be that person that was putting their head above the parapet to be shot at, given the abuse we all get as a referee in any event.
‘I’m a human being who made a mistake in a moment that I now deeply regret.’
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