David Coote comes out as gay in first interview since being sacked as Premier League referee

Former Premier League referee David Coote, who was dismissed in December, has come out as gay and admitted he turned to drugs in his first interview since being sacked by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).

In an interview with The Sun released on Monday, January 27, Coote, 42, said: “I felt a deep sense of shame during my teenage years in particular.

“I didn’t come out to my parents until I was 21. I didn’t come out to my friends until I was 25.

“My sexuality isn’t the only reason that led me to be in that position. But I’m not telling an authentic story if I don’t say that I’m gay, and that I’ve had real struggles dealing with hiding that.

“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’s led me to a whole course of behaviours.”

He added: “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.”

Coote was dismissed from the Premier League following an investigation into a video widely shared on social media that appeared to show him making derogatory comments about Liverpool and their former manager Jurgen Klopp.

The PGMOL investigation also covered a second video which emerged in November, appearing to show Coote allegedly snorting a white powder.

Coote refuted an allegation he discussed giving a yellow card before Leeds‘ match against West Brom in October 2019. The FA is investigating the allegation.