Former English Premier League (EPL) referee David Coote has publicly shared details about his sexuality, admitting that he is gay. The 42-year-old made this revelation in an exclusive interview with the UK Sun, where he also discussed personal struggles that led to his eventual dismissal from his high-profile role.
Coote’s career came to an abrupt end last year after the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) sacked him for what was described as a “serious breach” of contract. His dismissal followed the circulation of damaging video clips, one of which showed him using offensive language towards Liverpool FC and its manager, Jurgen Klopp. In the clip, Coote referred to the club with derogatory terms and insulted Klopp in a highly inappropriate manner.
In addition to the verbal altercations, another video surfaced showing Coote allegedly using cocaine after working as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) official during Euro 2024. This video, combined with the earlier footage, prompted PGMOL to suspend him and later confirm his firing.
In his first public comments since the scandal, Coote opened up about the personal struggles that contributed to his downfall. He reflected on his teenage years, acknowledging the deep shame he felt due to his sexuality. He revealed that he did not come out to his parents until the age of 21 and waited until he was 25 to confide in his friends.
Coote explained, “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.”
The former referee admitted that, as a young official, he concealed both his emotions and his sexuality—traits that he believes were beneficial in his role as a referee but detrimental to his personal well-being. “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 noted.
