Premier League referee David Coote could face an aggravated misconduct charge by the FA for referring to Jurgen Klopp’s nationality in his disparaging comments about the then-Liverpool manager.
Coote was suspended by the PGMOL, the body responsible for refereeing games in England, on Monday after a leaked video – which appears to be from several years ago – showed him calling Klopp a ‘German ****’ and ‘f***ing arrogant’.
The FA confirmed that it has launched an investigation into the 42-year-old, who refereed the Reds’ 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, in a statement which read: ‘We are aware of the matter, and we are investigating it.’
Coote was already facing a probe from the PGMOL but the FA’s investigation could see him handed a harsher penalty because of his reference to Klopp’s nationality.
The Times report that FA rules state that an ‘aggravated breach’ includes a reference ‘whether express or implied, to race and/or colour and/or ethnic origin and/or nationality’.
David Coote has been suspended by PGMOL pending the conclusion of an investigation into a leaked video which showed him making disparaging comments about Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp
The Premier League referee had a number of run ins with the former Reds boss during his time in the top-flight
The outlet highlights a similar case in 2020 involving then Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli, who was banned for one match and fined £50,000 for a video that showed him mocking an Asian man in relation to the covid outbreak. He was also required to complete an FA educational course.
An independent commission concluded Alli did not intentionally discriminate against the Asian man in question or set out to be insulting or racially stereotypical. But the video was ruled to ‘imply a reference to race and nationality’.
Manchester City midfielder Bernado Silva was hit with the same punishment in November 2019 after he compared his then team-mate Benjamin Mendy to a black cartoon figure.
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The PGMOL confirmed Coote has been suspended with immediate effect in a statement on Monday. It read: ‘David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation. PGMOL will be making no further comment until that process is complete.’
‘Liverpool were s***,’ said the man alleged to be Coote in the video. ‘(Klopp is a) ****, absolute ****. Aside from having a right pop at me when I was refereeing them against Burnley in lockdown, he accused me of lying and then had a right f***ing pop of me.
‘I have no interest in speaking to someone who is f***ing arrogant. So I do my best not to speak to him. (James) Milner is all right, I get on with him. You can see me there with a ‘mask’ on. But, my god, German ****, f*** me.’
In a second video, the man added: ‘Just to be clear, that f***ing last video cannot go anywhere, seriously.’
The game the man alleged to be Coote refers to in the stunning video was Liverpool’s controversial 1-1 draw with Burnley back in 2020.
In the match which saw Liverpool drop points for the first time at home that season, Andy Robertson was caught on camera angrily confronting Coote in an expletive-laden rant after not being awarded a penalty.
Coote has been a Premier League referee since 2018 and had plenty of run-ins with Klopp, who left Anfield at the end of last campaign.
