Premier League referee David Coote has broken his silence after it emerged he was at the centre of a betting probe.
The whistler, who was suspended by the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) earlier this month after a video emerged showing him making comments about former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, is now at the centre of a fresh investigation into betting – launched by the FA.
The 42-year-old was suspended by the PGMOL earlier this month for calling former Liverpool manager Klopp a “German c***” after an old video clip went viral on social media. Coote was then the subject of further controversy when footage of him allegedly snorting a white powder was also leaked.
And it has now emerged that he allegedly discussed giving a yellow card before a EFL match, saying in a message: “I hope you backed as discussed.”
In a report by The Sun, who revealed the probe, The FA said it was investigating the “very serious allegations as a matter of urgency”.
However he has now broken his silence, saying that he “strongly refutes false and defamatory allegations” that he deliberately booked a player, which is now at the centre of the FA investigation.
In his first statement since the scandal, Coote said: “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.”