David Coote suspension: PGMOL says investigation ongoing

English football’s refereeing body, PGMOL, said that the investigation into Premier League referee David Coote is continuing and that he will be suspended pending the outcome of the disciplinary process.

Coote, 42, was turned down by the PGMOL on November 11 after the first video appeared on X showing the referee making derogatory remarks about Liverpool and his former manager Jurgen Klopp.

Two days later another video shot by Coote and shared with a friend on WhatsApp was published by The Sun. The photo was allegedly taken at a UEFA-appointed hotel on July 6, the day after he was last appointed as VAR support for the Portugal-France quarter-final at Euro 2024, and he is seen sniffing a white powder.

Coote had already been suspended by UEFA in line with PGMOL, and European football’s governing body subsequently launched its own investigation.

A PGMOL spokesman said on Thursday: “We are following an internal process and take allegations of David Coote’s behavior very seriously as part of our ongoing full and comprehensive investigation. “Although David remains suspended, his welfare remains important to us and he “He is aware of the support network available to him.”