UEFA investigates English ref Coote over footage of alleged drug use at Euro 2024

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — UEFA started another investigation into English match official David Coote on Thursday after a video allegedly showed him using cocaine during the European Championship.

“A UEFA ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed to evaluate a potential violation of the UEFA disciplinary regulations by the referee, Mr. David Coote,” UEFA said in a statement.

Coote worked as a video review specialist at Euro 2024, where match officials stayed at a hotel near Frankfurt. The 42-year-old assistant supported the lead VAR official at eight games.

British daily The Sun published a video late Wednesday appearing to show Coote snorting the drug using an American banknote.

The report said the incident was filmed one day after Coote's last match duty, the quarterfinal between France and Portugal. France won a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw.

Coote was suspended on Monday by the English match referees body after a different cellphone video circulated of him making offensive comments with friends about former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp. That body and the English FA started investigations.

UEFA already withdrew Coote from match duty for national team games this week after the first video was published.

The games he worked at Euro 2024 included host Germany’s 2-0 win over Denmark in the round of 16 that included a controversial penalty award for handball. The lead VAR official at that game, Stuart Attwell, was involved in some of the tournament’s most debated decisions.

Match officials can work at international games and tournaments, like Euro 2024, after being proposed by their national federation for approval by FIFA. Coote has been on the FIFA international list since 2020 and had been appointed by UEFA to referee some lower-level games. He was approved to work at games in 2024 only as a “video match official.”

“FIFA international match officials shall be role models," the world soccer body states in its rules. “As such, they are expected to behave with dignity and respect, while complying with all applicable FIFA regulations and guidelines.”

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