David Coote has been banned from refereeing in UEFA competitions until the summer of 2026 (Image: Getty)
David Coote has been banned from refereeing in UEFA competitions until the summer of 2026. European football’s governing body opened an investigation into the Nottingham-born official last year, following the publication of a video which allegedly showed him snorting white powder while on duty at Euro 2024.
And they have now come back with a verdict which will suspend Coote from ‘exercising any UEFA refereeing activity’ until June 30 next year. The three charges brought against the 42-year-old are under ‘general principles of conduct’, ‘violating the basic rules of decent conduct’, and ‘bringing the sport of football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute’.
Coote will no longer be available for selection to referee in the Nations League, Champions League, Europa League or UEFA Conference League. And it is unclear when, or whether, he will return to top-level officiating after being stood down by the PGMOL – English football’s refereeing body – in November.
The PGMOL’s decision came before the video allegedly showing Coote snorting white powder was published. The referee was already in the spotlight due to the emergence of a separate video in which he called former manager a ‘c***’.
In response to the second video, the PGMOL wrote: “We aware of the allegations and are taking them very seriously. 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.”
Coote spent six years as a Premier League referee and took charge of the Carabao Cup final between and in 2023.
He came out as gay in his first interview since the saga began, and explained how struggles with his sexuality contributed to him making ‘really poor choices’.
“I have had issues around my self-esteem – and that relates to my sexuality,” he told in January. “I’m gay and I’ve struggled with feeling proud of being ‘me’ over a long period of time. I felt a deep sense of shame during my teenage years in particular.
“I hid my emotions as a young ref and I hid my sexuality as well – a good quality as a referee but a terrible quality as a human being. And that has led me to a whole course of behaviours.”