Authorities Launch Investigations into Referee David Coote

English Premier League (EPL) referee, David Coote, is facing suspension as investigations by the Football Association (FA) and Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) were launched, following a viral video allegedly showing him making derogatory comments about former Liverpool manager, Jürgen Klopp.

The video – circulated widely on X, formerly known as Twitter – reportedly captures the 42-year-old Englishman criticising Klopp and using expletives, calling the 57-year-old German tactician “arrogant”. The clip also references a 2020 Liverpool-Burnley match in which Klopp publicly disagreed with Coote’s officiating decisions.

PGMOL – the English refereeing body – suspended Coote and confirmed the launch of a full investigation, while the FA has opened a separate inquiry. Coote, who has officiated numerous top-flight matches since joining the EPL in 2018, recently refereed Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa.

The origins of the video remain unclear, and the FA’s investigation will determine if any rules of conduct were breached, especially regarding comments about nationality, which could result in aggravated penalties.

Former referees, including Mike Dean, expressed concern over the potential career impact for Coote, noting that the situation could be “damaging for everyone involved”. Both PGMOL and the FA have stated that further details will be released following the conclusions of the investigations.

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