Ex-Premier League referee, David Coote, has come out as gay.
In an interview with the UK Sun, Coote also admitted he used cocaine as an escape.
The 42-year-old was sacked last year when he was found to have “seriously breached” his contract by the PGMOL.
This follows the release of a video clip, in which Coote could be seen calling Liverpool “s***” and branding their manager at the time, Jurgen Klopp, a “German c***”.
Another video of Coote allegedly snorting a white powder after working as a VAR official during Euro 2024 was also leaked.
Speaking for the first time since the incident, Coote has addressed some of the scandals that saw his high-profile career come to an end.
He said: “I felt a deep sense of shame during my teenage years in particular. I didn’t come out to my parents until I was 21. I didn’t come out to my friends until I was 25.
“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.
“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. And that’s led me to a whole course of behaviours.”
After the videos leaked on social media, Coote was immediately suspended and his sacking was confirmed last month.
Coote oped not to appeal his sacking, and has not commented on the situation until now.