Suspended Soccer Referee Faces Investigation over Alleged Corruption

David Coote, a suspended Premier League referee is now facing a corruption investigation into a possible betting-motivated match manipulation. Coote denied the allegations, suggesting that his personal life has never reflected his on-field decision-making.

Coote Might Have Manipulated a Betting Outcome

Coote, who was suspended over a hotel video that showed him using a dollar bill to snort a white powder, has now been accused of manipulating a game in order to help a friend win a bet. This involved a yellow card the referee gave to Leeds United‘s Ezgjan Alioski during their Championship match against West Bromwich Albion in 2019.

Following the game, Coote allegedly wrote to a friend, telling them he hoped they had “backed as discussed.” Before the game, Coote had allegedly told his friend “Leeds tomorrow,” to which the friend replied, “Big game. Are we still on for what we discussed? Maybe I could join you.”

The friend then shared his intention to “back it in the morning” and asked Coote to “not let him down.”

While there is no firm evidence to suggest that the two were discussing a match manipulation, the alleged discussion is at the very least suspicious, prompting an investigation into the matter.

The Investigation Will Determine What the Facts Are

Coote responded to the allegations, denying that any wrongdoing took place. In an interview with The Sun, he didn’t deny that the conversation itself took place but argued that it had been taken out of context. According to him, it was nothing more than a friendly banter.

Additionally, the suspended referee noted that he never allows his personal life issues to affect his decision-making on the field. Coote promised that he has always prioritized the integrity of the game and has always refereed matches impartially and to the best of his ability.

In any case, both the Football Association and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited said that the allegations in question are very serious. The PGMOL said that the facts need to be established and promised that it will not hesitate to penalize any breach of its Integrity Code of Conduct.

Leeds United, whose player received the yellow card in question, also chimed in, saying that they are aware of the allegations. The team said that it would not be making further comments and noted that it would trust the FA, EFL and PGMOL’s judgment.

As mentioned, Coote was suspended by the UEFA because of a video that showed him snorting a white powder during the Euro 2024. This came shortly after The Sun received a photo of the referee using unprofessional defamatory language to refer to the former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, also causing his suspension by the PGMOL.