Former Premier League referee David Coote has been prohibited from officiating in European competitions until June 2026, as decreed by UEFA, due to misconduct linked to Euro 2024.
Coote faced termination from his position by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December, subsequent to a detailed inquiry into his actions.
The investigation into Coote commenced on November 11, after a video surfaced displaying him making negative remarks about Liverpool and their ex-manager Jurgen Klopp.
UEFA launched an additional investigation two days after The Sun published photos purportedly showing Coote inhaling a white substance through a rolled-up US banknote during last summer’s European Championship, where he served as a video assistant referee.
UEFA has declared that Coote breached the fundamental standards of appropriate behaviour, accusing him of tarnishing the reputation of football and UEFA itself.
Following the controversy, Coote, who recently disclosed his sexuality and expressed regret for his conduct in a Sun interview, finds himself banned from all European matches.
Additionally, on November 27, 2024, the Football Association initiated a fresh probe following claims that Coote had premeditated the issuance of a yellow card before a 2019 Championship game between Leeds and West Brom. Coote has consistently refuted these allegations.
