Former Premier League referee David Coote has publicly come out as gay and opened up about using cocaine as a form of escape
In an exclusive interview with The UK Sun, the 42-year-old discussed the personal struggles that contributed to his downfall. Coote was dismissed from his role last year after “seriously breaching” his contract with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
This followed the release of video footage showing Coote making offensive remarks about Liverpool and their former manager, Jurgen Klopp, and another video allegedly showing him snorting a white powder after working as a VAR official during Euro 2024.
Speaking for the first time since the scandal, Coote reflected on his past, stating, “I felt a deep sense of shame during my teenage years, especially. I didn’t come out to my parents until I was 21 and didn’t tell my friends until I was 25. My sexuality isn’t the only reason I ended up in that position, but I can’t tell an honest story without acknowledging that I’m gay and the difficulties I had hiding that.”
Coote also explained how hiding his emotions as a young referee, along with concealing his sexuality, led to unhealthy behaviors. He said, “It was a good quality as a referee but a terrible one as a human being, and it set me on a path that contributed to my mistakes.”
Following the leak of the controversial videos, Coote was immediately suspended, and his sacking was finalized last month. He chose not to appeal his dismissal and has remained silent on the matter until now.
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