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David Coote, a former Premier League referee, has disclosed that he concealed his sexuality during his career due to his apprehension of the homophobic reaction he would face. The 42-year-old disclosed to the Sun that working as a referee added to the burden that contributed to the alleged misconduct that led to his December sacking by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited. Coote officiated over a hundred Premier League games and gave his first interview to the Sun, the newspaper which reported his misconduct.
Coote revealed that he received death threats during his career, citing some aimed at his deceased mother. He also disclosed that he had to fix an emergency response tag on his home so he could speak to police in a crisis. Coote spoke about his personal sexuality, saying he felt a “deep sense of shame” during his teenage years and telling his parents about it when he was 21 and his friends when he was 25 years old.
Coote told The Sun that he had been in “an incredibly dark place” after photographs of him allegedly sniffing a white powder through a rolled up US bank note at the Euros last year emerged. The FA and UEFA are investigating his conduct. The ex-referee has said he apologizes “to anyone who I’ve offended by my actions” and that he “was not sober” at the time of the action. The accusation of misconduct by the FA came after Coote was suspended by PGMOL on 11 November following a video that surfaced of him making derogatory comments about Liverpool and the team’s former manager Jurgen Klopp.
In conclusion, former Premier League referee David Coote has highlighted the challenges he faced in his life as a result of his career and personal struggles. In an interview published by The Sun, the retired official revealed how threats made against him during his career and allegations of drug use at the Euros at UEFA prompted a dark time in his life. Coote also admitted to feeling a “deep sense of shame” about his sexuality, which was another source of pressure for him
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