Sacked Premier League referee David Coote is called out by gay former footballer after revealing he hid his sexuality out of abuse fear

Disgraced Premier League referee David Coote has been criticised by a gay former footballer after revealing he hid his sexuality out of fear of being abused.

Coote was dismissed by the PGMOL, the referees’ body, last year after appearing in several leaked videos, including one in which he insulted former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. In another, he could be seen snorting a white powder.

The 42-year-old has since disclosed that struggles with his sexuality during his career led to him making the ‘really poor choices’ that resulted in his sacking.

In his first interview since the high-profile scandal, Coote issued a public apology for his actions and came out, saying he wanted to break down football’s ‘macho world’.

‘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,’ Coote told The Sun, the publication that initially published the damning videos and photos.

But Lianne Sanderson, a former England international and a gay athlete, has accused Coote of conducting the explosive interview for the wrong reasons.

Coote publicly came out in an interview with The Sun and apologised for his actions

But Lianne Sanderson says Coote opening up on his sexuality has ‘zero to do with his actions’

‘David Coote opening up about his sexuality and the timing really bothers me because it has 0 to do with his actions and why he got sacked,’ Sanderson posted on X.

‘We all make mistakes no doubt but this is just outright wrong and these types of things make it harder for people in our community to be accepted and taken seriously! It has the reverse affect [sic].

‘Do the interview if you want but release in different parts then.’

Coote, who officiated more than 100 top-flight games, told The Sun: ‘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.’

In one leaked video, Coote was caught labelling former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp a ‘c***’

Coote was also filmed allegedly snorting a white power in another clip posted online

Coote said he feared coming out because of the abuse he expected to receive, adding: ‘I have received deeply unpleasant abuse during my career as a ref and to add my sexuality to that would have been really difficult.’

The pressures of refereeing at the top of the professional game saw him turn to drugs as a release, a decision he now deeply regrets. ‘It’s not something I was reliant on day by day, week by week, month by month,’ said Coote.

‘I’ve had long periods where I’ve not used it – but it was one of the escape routes I had. Just getting away from the stresses, the relentlessness of the job. It fills me with a huge sense of shame to say that I took that route.’

Coote was suspended by the PGMOL on November 11 and just a few days later, The Sun released a video of him allegedly snorting a white substance while officiating at Euro 2024. This prompted a new investigation from UEFA.

He said he has been in an ‘incredibly dark place’ since the footage was published and confirmed the power he had been snorting was cocaine.

‘I don’t recognise myself in the cocaine video,’ said Coote. ‘I can’t resonate with how I felt then, but that was me. I was struggling with the schedule and there was no opportunity to stop. And so I found myself in that position, escaping.’