David Coote, sacked by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) following a video scandal, has revealed in his first interview since his dismissal that he turned to drugs due to the fear of revealing his sexuality.
David Coote , a former Premier League referee, has admitted in his first interview since his dismissal by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited ( PGMOL ) that he turned to drugs due to the fear of revealing his sexuality. Coote was fired in December following an investigation into two videos that surfaced online. One video, which remains unverified, purportedly shows Coote making disparaging remarks about Liverpool and their former manager, Jurgen Klopp.
The second video, also circulating on social media, appears to depict Coote snorting a white powder, allegedly during his role as an assistant VAR for the Euro 2024 tournament. UEFA, European football's governing body, appointed an ethics investigator to look into the second video. Coote denied accusations of discussing a yellow card before a Leeds match against West Brom in October 2019, an allegation currently under investigation by the FA. In an interview with The Sun released on Monday, the 42-year-old Coote revealed the struggles he faced hiding his sexuality. He disclosed that he didn't come out to his parents until he was 21 and to his friends until he was 25. Coote stated, '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.' He further explained, '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.' Coote admitted that he faced challenges with self-esteem, which he linked to his sexuality. He shared, 'I'm gay and I've struggled with feeling proud of being 'me' over a long period of time.' He also mentioned receiving deeply unpleasant abuse during his career, adding that revealing his sexuality would have been incredibly difficult. Coote expressed remorse for his actions in a statement released to Sky Sports News, acknowledging that they fell short of expectations and caused offense. He emphasized that the videos captured him during 'very low times in my life' and did not reflect his true self. Coote concluded by stating his commitment to prioritizing his mental health and expressing gratitude for the support he received from family, friends, colleagues, and the football community
David Coote Premier League Referee PGMOL Drug Use Sexuality Coming Out Football Scandal
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