The veteran Englishman has come under fire from the Premier League referees' organisations and the English FA after several altercations involving match-fixing and drugs were uncovered and could end his professional career

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The referee, David Coote, is being investigated for allegedly rigging sports betting

David Coote, the veteran English referee, has found himself in the crosshairs of a series of controversies that have cast doubt on his credibility and future in the world of football. At the age of 42, he is being investigated by the FA for a number of allegations that affect his professional performance and undermine confidence in elite refereeing.

As reported by the English newspaper, The Sun, in 2019 the referee allegedly showed a yellow card to Leed United player Ezgjan Alioski for a questionable purpose. After that match, a message the referee sent to a friend surfaced, saying: ‘I hope you got him in as we speak’; suggesting that the cautioning of Alioski was part of a deal that would financially benefit someone through betting.

The seriousness of the matter has prompted the FA and the Premier League's professional referees' body (PGMOL) to open an urgent investigation. A spokesman for the PGMOL made the body's position clear: ‘We have a zero-tolerance policy on any breach of our code of integrity and conduct. If these allegations are confirmed, we will take appropriate action.

This controversy has opened the door to other issues of professional misconduct by the accused. Another altercation involving him has also come to light. A video in which Coote appears to have consumed a white substance up his nose during the last European Championship. Although it has not been officially confirmed whether it is drug use, UEFA and the FA have not hesitated to suspend him until the situation is clarified.

This is not all. During the European Championship, footage was leaked of Coope calling Liverpool manager Jürgen Kloop, with whom he had already had public differences, an ‘asshole’ and ‘arrogant’.

The veteran, who has been refereeing at the top level of English football for more than five years, has seen his career put on indefinite hiatus by these altercations. It has sent shockwaves through Premier League refereeing, which was already facing questions about the transparency and impartiality of its decisions.

The referees' body has stated that until there is strong evidence to prove his innocence, Coote will not referee again: ’These allegations are extremely serious and require a thorough investigation. The integrity of refereeing is fundamental to the sport,’ said a PGMOL spokesman.

In the meantime, the FA is still gathering information to determine whether Coote manipulated the results of the match or whether the alleged drugs video is genuine. Until then, the Englishman will remain sidelined at a time when his professional and personal future hangs in the balance.

This case has opened up a wider debate about the exposure and pressure that high-profile referees are under. For, such issues damage both the image of these crucial figures in football and the confidence of fans and players in the fairness of the sport.