Former Premier League referee David Coote has come out as gay in his first interview since being dismissed by PGMOL last month.
The 42-year-old broke his silence in an emotional conversation with The Sun, speaking publicly about his sexuality for the first time since his contract was terminated in December.
Coote revealed he struggled with deep shame during his teenage years, keeping his sexuality hidden from those closest to him.
“I didn’t come out to my parents until I was 21. I didn’t come out to my friends until I was 25,” he told The Sun.
David Coote has come out as gay
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The former referee spoke candidly about the impact of concealing his identity throughout his career.
“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,” he said.
Coote opened up about the personal toll of concealing his identity, particularly in his role as a match official.
“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,” he revealed.
The former Premier League official acknowledged the lasting impact on his self-worth.
David Coote was sacked last month
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“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,” he said.
Coote explained his decision not to come out during his refereeing career, citing concerns about potential abuse.
“I have received deeply unpleasant abuse during my career as a ref and to add my sexuality to that would have been really difficult,” he said.
The former official highlighted broader concerns about discrimination in the sport.
“There’s a lot to be done throughout football and more widely in society with regard to discrimination,” Coote explained.
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He added: “I didn’t want to be that person that was putting their head above the parapet to be shot at, given the abuse we all get as a referee in any event.”