Suspended Premier League referee David Coote is embroiled in yet another scandal as the English Football Association (FA) investigates allegations that he discussed issuing a yellow card to a player before officiating a match.
The claims, first reported by The Sun, suggest that Coote had a conversation with a fan about booking Leeds United's Ezgjan Alioski during a game against West Bromwich Albion in October 2019. It is alleged that Coote messaged the fan the following day, saying, "What a day yesterday. I hope you backed as discussed."
Coote, who has been suspended by both PGMOL and UEFA, strongly denies these allegations, stating, "I strongly refute these false and defamatory allegations. Whatever issues I may have had in my personal life they have never affected my decision making on the field. I have always held the integrity of the game in the highest regard, refereeing matches impartially and to the best of my ability."
The FA has labeled these allegations as "very serious" and is conducting an urgent investigation. Meanwhile, Coote remains suspended and is subject to an ongoing disciplinary process by PGMOL. This latest controversy adds to Coote's troubles, as he is also under scrutiny for other alleged misconduct, including making disparaging remarks about Liverpool and their former manager Jürgen Klopp, and being caught on video allegedly using cocaine.
PGMOL has emphasized its zero-tolerance approach to breaches of its Integrity Code of Conduct, stating, "The facts need to be established in light of these very serious allegations. We adopt a zero-tolerance approach to any breach of our Integrity Code of Conduct, which is signed by all match officials on an annual basis." The organization is committed to taking appropriate action should any breach be proven.
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