Referee, David Coote wears a DXTL REFspect T-shirt prior to the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers at American Express Community Stadium on April 29, 2023 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)
Former Premier League referee, David Coote, was recently sacked by PGMOL for shocking behaviour caught on camera, and the reason behind it has now emerged.
A video of the former official was widely circulated on social media, where he used foul-mouthed language to describe Liverpool manager at the time, Jurgen Klopp.
If that were not bad enough for his career, another video was then released which appeared to show him snorting cocaine, and it was further alleged that this was during the European Championship.
David Coote comes out as gay
It was clear that his career was over from that point, though his employers PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) needed to go through due process in order to make sure everything was done properly.
Now the reasons behind his incredibly damaging behaviour have been explained by the man himself.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun newspaper, Coote has explained that hiding his sexuality – he’s come out as gay – had everything to do with it.
“I felt a deep sense of shame during my teenage years in particular,” he was quoted as saying.
“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.
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“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.
“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.
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“There’s a lot to be done throughout football and more widely in society with regard to discrimination.
“I didn’t want to be that person that was putting their head above the parapet to be shot at, given the abuse we all get as a referee in any event.”
Though society in general would appear to be a lot more tolerant regarding the sexuality of those in the public eye these days, football as a sport does seem to be way behind in that respect as Coote says.
The fact that in this day and age it’s still headline grabbing news when someone within football comes out as gay tells you everything about what needs to be done within the game for those who are repressing their feelings and emotions.
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