The former football referee, David Cooote, dismissed after several scandals in England, “hid” his homosexuality for fear of homophobic reactions and found in cocaine “an escape” to flee from pressure.
The 42 -year -old English appeared on the front page of the tabloid on Tuesday, with a photo drying the tears during the interview, the first granted since the revelation of the scandals that have splashed him.
The ex -arter reports that he received a multitude of insults and “death threats” throughout his career and that it would have been “very difficult” to make his sexual orientation public.
“My sexuality is not the only reason that led me to be in this situation. But I would not tell an authentic story if I did not say that I am gay and that it cost me a lot to hide it, ”he confessed to the newspaper, which he published the interview on his website.
“I hid my emotions as a young referee and also hid my homosexuality. Hiding emotions is a quality as a referee, but a terrible quality as a human being ”he said.
Taboo theme in football
Homosexuality remains a taboo issue in the soccer environment and homophobic episodes are frequent.
In England, as in other great European championships, no active player has expressed his homosexuality.
Cooote was seen in the eye of the hurricane after the dissemination in November of old videos in which he appears criticizing and isacating the former coach of Liverpool, Jürgen Klopp, in a private framework.
This cost him a suspension by the governing body of arbitration in England and his subsequent dismissal in December.
Controversy due to drugs
The Sun also published images in which it appears snorting a white powder similar to cocaine during the 2024 Eurocup, which led UEFA to suspend it.
His consumption of cocaine, which today causes “an immense feeling of shame”, served as “escape,” confesses, to get away from “stress and agitation” of work “.
In November, the English Football Federation opened an investigation for corruption against Cooote, suspected of having talked to an amateur about the possibility of admonishing a player before a game five years ago, accusations that the former architect rejected.
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(Tagstotranslate) Premier League