Suspended Premier League referee David Coote allegedly snorts white powder in a shocking video taken while he was officiating at this year’s European Championships.
According to The Sun, the eight second WhatsApp video shows the under-fire VAR specialist wide-eyed as he uses a rolled up US bank note to snort a 10 centimetre line of what appears to be cocaine.
The Sun’s exclusive new video was taken on July 6 – a day after the Euro 2024 quarter-final clash between France and Portugal, where he acted as a support VAR official.
On the bedside table alongside the white powder are scattered packets of prescription drugs, a credit card, and the Terry Hayes novel The Year of The Locust.
He sent the clip to a friend and it’s believed he filmed himself in his UEFA-funded hotel room he used during the tournament.
The ref sent another photo from Frankfurt on July 1. It showed his credit cards on a saucer either side of six chopped-up lines of suspicious white powder.
He was staying in hotel rooms appointed by tournament organiser UEFA.
The friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, also reveals that the referee made other derogatory remarks about Everton football club and Liverpool player Andy Robertson.
Coote’s previous comments about Klopp are now at the centre of both a PGMOL and FA investigation into his conduct.
As the scandal grew this week, UEFA also took him off its roster for games during this weekend’s international break.
Other videos were sent over the northern summer from France, where Coote officiated at three football matches at the Paris Olympics. They included the Israel versus Japan clash on July 30, where he was in charge of VAR.
His friend has told how Coote said in video chats table-toppers Liverpool “will not win the Premier League” this season.
Coote also branded Goodison Park – the ground of Liverpool’s rivals Everton – as the worst place to referee due to the fans “shouting abuse so close to the pitch”.
He hates officiating at Bournemouth games because it’s “too far away” and moaned he was “too big” to have to ref at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena for their Championship clash against Oxford United on August 16.
The friend is speaking out to highlight Coote apparently bragging of taking drugs repeatedly during tournaments and big Premier League matches.
They told The Sun: “I believe that the FA and the governing body of the referees have to make sure that the sport we all love is protected and being officiated by the right people. My message to David Coote is … there’s help out there.”
The friend added: “The video of him badmouthing Klopp didn’t surprise me at all.
“He said to me Liverpool would definitely not win the Premier League. It just makes me question the kind of people running the Prem. He also described Andy Robertson as a ‘Scottish prick’.
“He did say that the worst place to referee was Goodison Park due to the young Scousers screaming, shouting, swearing at him and calling every name under the sun before the games had even started. And he mentioned he hated going to Bournemouth because it was just such a long way away.
“He did mention about Coventry City versus Oxford United on a Friday night on Sky Sports. He couldn’t really be a**ed with this game … the fact that he had to go and referee in front of an empty Ricoh Arena. He said ‘I’m a bit too big for this’.”
A PGMOL spokesperson told The Sun: “We’re aware of the allegations and are taking them very seriously. David Coote remains suspended pending a full investigation.
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Suspended Premier League referee David Coote allegedly snorts white powder in a shocking video taken while he was officiating at this year’s European Championships.
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