November 15 – Under-fire English top-flight referee David Coote is under further scrutiny after UEFA opened an investigation into a video published by The Sun newspaper which appears to show him snorting a white powder while on duty at Euro 2024.
Coote was suspended earlier this week with immediate effect from officiating in English domestic football after being caught on video allegedly making derogatory comments about Liverpool and their former manager, Jurgen Klopp.
A second video has now emerged which The Sun claims was shot during Euro 2024 where Coote was officiating and UEFA have now followed suit by suspending him from European games, starting with this week’s Nations League fixtures where he was due to act as a VAR.
The new video was reportedly taken at a UEFA-appointed hotel on July 6, the day after Coote’s final appointment at Euro 2024 as support VAR for the Portugal-France quarterfinal.
A statement issued by UEFA on Thursday confirmed an investigation for a potential violation of its regulations at the hotel had begun.
“A UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to evaluate a potential violation of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations by the referee, Mr. David Coote. Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course,” it said.
PGMOL confirmed that it was aware of the second video but cautioned: “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.”
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