David Coote blames 'macho world' of Premier League for not coming out as gay during career
David Coote blames 'macho world' of Premier League for not coming out as gay during career
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David Coote has opened up about struggling with his sexuality in the "macho world" of football, with the former Premier League referee coming out as gay. Coote was sacked by the PGMOL last month after a video emerged that showed him calling Liverpool "s***" and describing Jurgen Klopp a "German c***". Another video of him snorting cocaine also circulated and Coote has admitted he turned to the drug to "escape".
He told the Sun: "I've had issues around my self-esteem — and that relates to my sexuality. I'm gay and I've struggled with feeling proud of being 'me' over a long period of time. I have received deeply unpleasant abuse during my career as a ref and to add my sexuality to that would have been really difficult.
"There's a lot to be done throughout football and more widely in society with regard to discrimination. I didn't want to be that person that was putting their head above the parapet to be shot at, given the abuse we all get as a referee in any event.".
Coote was sacked by referees' body PGMOL last month after they said that a thorough investigation had concluded that he was "in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable". Coote had the right to appeal against the decision but the Nottinghamshire referee decided not to. The video which triggered PGMOL’s investigation into Coote’s conduct first came to public attention on November 11.
In it, Coote is asked for his views on a Liverpool match where he has just been fourth official, and describes them as “s***”. He then describes Klopp as a “c***”, and, asked why he felt that way, Coote says the German had “a right pop at me when I reffed them against Burnley in lockdown” and had accused him of lying.
