David Coote, a former Premier League referee, has publicly announced his sexuality, detailing his struggles with self-acceptance in a sport characterized by machismo. Coote, who faced professional setbacks due to alleged cocaine use, indicated that he resorted to drugs as a means of coping with the pressure of hiding his sexual identity and personal losses. He expressed deep shame over his past actions and emphasized the importance of seeking help for those in similar situations, acknowledging the detrimental effect of suppressing one's true self.
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.
I don't recognize myself in the cocaine video. I can't resonate with how I felt then, but that was me.
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