Luton’s Makosso Banned for 3 Matches, Ex-Referee Coote Handed 8 Week Suspension

Luton Town defender Christ Makosso has been suspended for three matches after admitting to violent conduct during the EFL League One clash with Peterborough United on Saturday, 9 August.

The incident, which occurred around the 76th minute, was not spotted by match officials but was caught on camera. The FA alleged it constituted violent conduct, a charge Makosso admitted, accepting the standard penalty.

Separately, former Premier League referee David Coote has been banned from all football-related activity for eight weeks and ordered to complete a mandatory face-to-face education programme after being found guilty of an aggravated breach of FA Rule E3.

It was alleged that Coote acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words about former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp in a video recorded around July 2020, which surfaced on social media in November 2024.

The FA charged Coote under Rule E3.1, alleging he used the words “German Cunt” in reference to Klopp, and said the offence was an ‘Aggravated Breach’ under Rule E3.2 as it included a reference to nationality.

According to the Regulatory Commission’s written reasons, Coote confirmed the video was filmed in his living room in summer 2020, with only a friend present. He said it had not been intended for public viewing but believed the friend shared it with someone else. Coote told the FA he regretted the language, accepted it was “highly inappropriate”, and apologised to Klopp, the FA, PGMOL and the wider football community.

In his written response, Coote expressed “deep remorse”, calling his comments “crass, inappropriate and unworthy of the role that he held within the game”. He said they did not reflect his true view of Klopp, “for whom he had always had a deep professional respect”.

The Commission, chaired by Sally Davenport alongside Grace Cheng and Alison Royston, ruled that while Coote had not posted the video himself, the comment was “clearly offensive” and discriminatory. His role as a top-level referee was deemed a serious aggravating factor.

“The overall tone of the Video was highly offensive,” the written decision stated. “As a match official at the highest level of the game, DC was under an obligation to behave appropriately at all times. His conduct on this occasion fell well short of what was expected of him.”

Mitigating factors included Coote’s cooperation, good disciplinary record, and personal circumstances. The panel accepted that his remorse and insight were genuine and that he had acted “in a foolish manner rather than out of any malicious intent”.

He was banned for eight weeks from all football and football-related activity, with one match equating to one week for the purposes of the suspension. He must also complete an FA-mandated education programme within four months or face further suspension.

The Commission decided against imposing a fine, noting Coote had already lost his role within football.

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