Featured Image Credit: The Sun
Topics: Football, Premier League
Rory O'Callaghan
Former Premier League referee David Coote has broken his silence in an emotional first interview since being sacked by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
In an interview with The Sun, Coote spoke out on his dismissal for the first time and also came out as gay, admitting to using drugs as a result of the fear of making his sexuality public as a Premier League referee.
Coote was sacked in December after being 'in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable'.
It followed a PGMOL investigation into two separate alleged videos of Coote.
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The first video, which circulated on social media in November, appeared to show Coote making derogatory comments about Liverpool and former manager Jurgen Klopp.
A second video later emerged which allegedly showed Coote snorting a white powder, purportedly during Euro 2024 - a day after he served as a support VAR official for Spain's quarter final with Germany.
Coote, 42, has now admitted to taking cocaine over fear of coming out in what he described as the 'macho world' of the Premier League.
Coote told The Sun: "I felt a deep sense of shame during my teenage years in particular.
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"I didn't come out to my parents until I was 21. I 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."
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He added: "I've had issues around my self-esteem - and that relates to my sexuality. 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.
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"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."
Sky Sports News was also given a separate statement by Coote.
"This has been one of the most difficult periods of my life. I take full responsibility for my actions, which fell way below what was expected of me," read the statement.
"I am truly sorry for any offence caused by my actions and for the negative spotlight it put on the game that I love.
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"I hope people will understand that they were private moments taken during very low times in my life. They do not reflect who I am today or what I think.
"My focus now is on continuing to prioritise my mental health and wellbeing. I hope that my experiences, both on and off the field, can be utilised in football at some point in the future.
"Finally, I want to thank everyone who has supported me recently, in particular my family, friends, former colleagues, PGMOL and Howard Webb, and countless people across football.
"Special thanks also to the many strangers who have reached out with words of encouragement and support, I have appreciated it more than I can properly express."