The Premier League’s refereeing body has said it is aware of footage allegedly showing David Coote sniffing white powder.
The video emerged after Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) and the Football Association launched investigations into Coote after remarks he made about Jürgen Klopp in a video that surfaced online this week.
On Wednesday evening the Sun published a video that it said showed Coote sniffing white powder during the summer’s European Championship in Germany, where he was officiating.
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PGMOL said it was “aware of the allegations” and was “taking them very seriously” in the latest controversy in relation to the Premier League referee. The Guardian has been unable to independently verify the footage, which is being investigated by PGMOL.
A PGMOL spokesperson told the Sun: “David Coote remains suspended pending a full investigation. David’s welfare continues to be of utmost importance to us and we are committed to providing him with the ongoing necessary support he needs through this period. We are not in a position to comment further at this stage.”
The Sun said the video was taken on 6 July, a day after the Euro 2024 quarter-final clash between Spain and hosts Germany, for which Coote was a supporting VAR official.
Coote became the subject of an investigation by PGMOL after clips showed the 42-year-old calling the former Liverpool manager “arrogant” and a “German cunt”.
He was suspended by the professional body pending a full investigation, and the FA subsequently said it was also investigating the matter. Uefa also suspended Coote “until further notice” when the first video emerged.
The FA has the power to investigate remarks made in a private context and it is understood part of its investigation will centre on whether remarks about Klopp’s nationality constitutes an aggravated breach of its misconduct rules.
Howard Webb, PGMOL’s chief refereeing officer, said on Tuesday that the organisation was taking the incident “very seriously”.
