David Coote handed new UEFA ban after him ‘coming out’ had ‘reverse impact on LGBTQ+ community’
Ex-Premier League referee David Coote has been handed a new ban, and it’s been claimed that he has made a “reverse impact on the LGBTQ+ community”.
Coote found himself in hot water at the end of 2024 after a video emerged of him blasting Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool in a sweary rant.
The PGMOL suspended the 42-year-old, and his situation worsened when a second video surfaced, in which he appeared to sniff white powder. Following these revelations, the governing body revealed the referee had been sacked as his position had become “untenable”.
The saga was not over there as Coote came out as gay, citing his sexuality as a reason for him turning to drugs to cope with the “macho” world of the Premier League.
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Now, a statement from UEFA has revealed that Coote has been given a ban until June 2026.
A statement read: “Mr David Coote Incidents and sanction: General principles of conduct, Art. 11(1) DR, Violating the basic rules of decent conduct, Art. 11(2)(b) DR, Bringing the sport of football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute, Art. 11(2)(d) DR, Ban from exercising any UEFA refereeing activity until 30 June 2026.”
Former England women’s international Lianne Sanderson has hit out at Coote, explaining why his decision to come out has harmed “our community”.
“It’s been awful and no one deserves [the online abuse],” Sanderson said in an interview for The Metro.
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“There are people out there who have disgusting views. I eat, sleep and breathe them every single day. But the thing that has rubbed me up the wrong way is there are people out there with this opinion that people are using certain things to get further ahead in life now.
“[The timing of David Coote coming out] has had the reverse impact on our community. I’ve had loads of people messaging me saying he is playing the ‘gay card’.
“For someone like me, I am constantly trying to break down barriers and I’ve had a lot of people message me from the community who feel the same.
“I am trying to show that I am good enough, being a woman of colour and being gay, and I feel these situations just knock it back a little bit.”
Explaining why Coote has combined “two different scenarios”, she continued: “Listen, it’s everyone’s prerogative if they want to come out. I’m a massive advocate for my community, I was one of the first ever England women’s players to come out, probably one of the first in the world.
‘With this whole David Coote thing, I feel sorry for him, we all make mistakes and we all have skeletons in the closet.
“But the sexuality part and him taking cocaine and doing that video is not the same thing. We all have troubles in life but it does not condone bad behaviour.
“Did he really need to speak out [about his sexuality at that moment]? Were people waiting around for him to speak out? I don’t think they were and it’s almost made it worse.”
