Former Premier League referee David Coote has been charged by the Football Association over comments he made about previous Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Afrosport reports.
Coote was dismissed by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) last December after a video surfaced online of him making offensive remarks about Klopp in July 2020.
The 42-year-old is also facing allegations of gambling misconduct which he has denied and the FA will be taking for further action on.
“David Coote has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to comments that he made about Jurgen Klopp in a video recorded around July 2020 which appeared on social media in November 2024,” read an FA statement posted on X
“It’s alleged that the referee acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words contrary to FA Rules E3.1.
“It’s further alleged that this constitutes an ‘Aggravated Breach’, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2m as it included a reference – whether expressed or implied – to nationality.
“No charges have been issued in relation to allegations of gambling misconduct against David Coote, which were also fully investigated.”
— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) June 17, 2025
Coote was also banned from officiating in European competitions until June 30th, 2026, by European football governing body UEFA after another video emerged of him sniffing a white substance during the Euro 2024 championship in Germany.
