A video of David Coote appearing to snort white powder has been shared days after he was suspended over a clip where he made insulting comments about Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.
Coote, who is also the subject of an FA investigation, was filmed calling Klopp a "German c***" and labeling the 57-year-old "f***ing arrogant".
The 42-year-old is unable to referee in English football while suspended - and there are reports claiming referee chiefs believe he could quit prior to the investigation reaching an outcome.
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The other individual in the video, former professional cricketer Ben Kitt, has also been suspended by his employer.
And his situation looks to have worsened as he now appears to be involved in a second scandal. On Wednesday evening The Sun obtained and released footage of a man who they claim to be Coote, snorting a four inch line of powder with a rolled up US bank note.
The outlet reports that the video is from July 6 - a day after he served as a support VAR official for Spain's quarter final with Germany at Euro 2024.
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The Sun also say that Coote sent the video to a friend and it was filmed in the hotel UEFA paid for during his stay in Germany.
The anonymous friend alleges that there are more videos and pictures of Coote and claims he has spoken out to "make sure that the sport we all love is protected and being officiated by the right people".
As per BBC correspondent Simon Stone, a PGMOL spokesperson reacted to the video and said: "We aware of the allegations and are taking them very seriously. David Coote remains suspended pending a full investigation. David’s welfare continues to be of utmost importance to us and we are committed to providing him with the ongoing necessary support he needs through this period. We are not in a position to comment further at this stage.”
Coote has been dropped from the latest UEFA fixtures and reportedly faces losing £1 million over the next few years if he is sacked or decides to step down.
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A recent report from the Daily Mail states that Coote could be offered an escape route from Saudi Arabia, allowing him to continue his career as a ref.
Topics: Premier League
Josh Lawless