According to Jürgen Klopp’s statement: English association fires referee

The controversial English referee David Coote has lost his job as a football referee. As the responsible organization PGMOL announced, the contract with the 42-year-old has been terminated with immediate effect. This was the Professional Game Match Officials Limited’s response to the results of an investigation into Coote.

It found that his actions constituted a serious breach of the terms of his contract. His position is therefore “considered untenable.” The decision can be appealed.

Coote had previously been suspended. The background is, among other things, a video in which he is said to have made contemptuous comments about former Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp. Another video also circulated in which a man can be seen snorting a white powder. The man’s identity is not clear.

According to a report in the Sun newspaper, the video was made during the European Football Championship in Germany. Coote worked on the team of referees for the video evidence at the European Championships. Among other things, he worked as an assistant to the video assistant referee during Germany’s round of 16 against Denmark.

The English referee organization PGMOL then initiated an investigation against Coote. UEFA also suspended the 42-year-old and initiated an investigation by an ethics and disciplinary inspector. This is about possible violations by the Brit of the disciplinary rules of the continental association.

Klopp clashed with Coote several times during his time at Liverpool. Among other things, he accused the referee of mistakes last season after Coote was used as a video assistant in Liverpool’s match against Arsenal. Years earlier, Klopp had also complained about the video assistant Coote during the Merseyside derby against Everton because he had not intervened in an alleged foul by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford on Liverpool defense chief Virgil van Dijk.