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The latest allegations surrounding Premier League referee David Coote have left talkSPORT host Jason Cundy fearing for the game.
Coote was on the end of another bombshell revelation from The Sun, alleging that he discussed giving a yellow card before and after a match between Leeds and West Brom.
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The Football Association said it is investigating the 'very serious allegations as a matter of urgency' while Coote denies any wrongdoing.
The PGMOL also said last night: “The facts need to be established in light of these very serious allegations.
“We adopt a zero-tolerance approach to any breach of our Integrity Code of Conduct, which is signed by all match officials on an annual basis.
“PGMOL Board is committed to taking the appropriate action should any breach of that Code be proven. David Coote remains suspended and subject to an ongoing disciplinary process by PGMOL, separate to the investigation into this matter which will be carried out independently by the FA.
“We will be making no further comment at this stage.”
The revelation comes after further bombshell stories around Coote, including a video of him criticising former Liverpool manager Jurgen Kloop, and another of him snorting white powder.
But this betting scandal has left talkSPORT host and former Chelsea defender Cundy in a state of shock.
"This now goes to the heart of what is the most important thing in my life," he said.
“It undermines the integrity and it's saying the game can be corrupt. I don't know where to go with this. I don't know what the next question is.
“I believe the game is not corrupt. I believe the integrity of the game is absolutely 100% foolproof. But this…
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“Every football fan will be questioning what they're hearing and reading.”
Responding to the allegations from the match in October 2019, Coote insists a message sent to a friend that read 'I hope you backed' was only 'banter'.
In an official statement, he commented: “Whatever issues I may have had in my personal life they have never affected my decision-making on the field.
“I have always held the integrity of the game in the highest regard, refereeing matches impartially and to the best of my ability.”
Similarly shocked was talkSPORT's chief football correspondent Alex Crook, who admitted this story calls the game's integrity into question.
“These are serious allegations," he said. “I think this is arguably the most damaging of the allegations that have been levelled at David Coote so far, because you're now questioning the integrity of a referee.
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“At best, it's a massive error of judgment. At worst, I think maybe it's more sinister than that.
“What's most alarming for me is that the person who leaked this to The Sun, under the condition of anonymity, suggests that he only really started interacting with David Coote online. So this is not a lifelong friend.”
The yellow card in question was dished out to Ezgjan Alioski in the 17th minute after a late challenge on Darnell Furlong.
It was not considered a controversial decision and most would deem the foul to be a yellow card offence.
The friend who leaked the conversation to The Sun said: “My first contact with David Coote was online. When I got talking to him a bit more, I found out about his job as a football referee.
"I jokingly told him to give Alioski a yellow card in the Leeds United game the following day against West Bromwich Albion, so I could back this in the bookies.
"He sarcastically replied, ‘Haha will see’. Just 18 minutes into the game the next day Alioski was booked.
“It was Leeds’ only yellow card in the match.
“He messaged me a while after the game and said, ‘I hope you backed as discussed’.”
