Football child sex scandal may involve 98 clubs, including Premier League teams | Football News - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Football child sex scandal may involve 98 clubs, including Premier League teams

ByReuters, London
Dec 09, 2016 04:35 PM IST

British police investigating allegations of widespread child sex abuse at football clubs dating back to the 1970s said they had identified 83 potential suspects and possible links to 98 clubs, including some from the Premier League.

British police investigating allegations of widespread child sex abuse at football clubs dating back to the 1970s said on Friday they had identified 83 potential suspects and possible links to 98 clubs, including some from the Premier League.

In this June 23, 1995 photo, former English football coach and recruiter Barry Bennell appears in a Duval County courtroom in Jacksonville. Bennell was convicted on three separate occasions for abusing youngsters in 1995, 1998 and 2015. But over the last two weeks, there has been a renewed focus on Bennell as former professional players have publicly discussed the abuse they suffered.(AP)
In this June 23, 1995 photo, former English football coach and recruiter Barry Bennell appears in a Duval County courtroom in Jacksonville. Bennell was convicted on three separate occasions for abusing youngsters in 1995, 1998 and 2015. But over the last two weeks, there has been a renewed focus on Bennell as former professional players have publicly discussed the abuse they suffered.(AP)

Police forces across the country launched inquiries after former player Andy Woodward revealed he had been abused as a boy by a youth team coach, prompting other ex-professionals to come forward with more allegations.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said 639 referrals had been made to officers from a helpline set up by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children charity, involving about 350 potential victims.

Read more | Former football coach Barry Bennell charged with child abuse

“Allegations received by police forces across the country are being swiftly acted upon,” said Chief Constable Simon Bailey, the NPCC lead for child protection.

“We are also liaising closely with the Football Association to ensure all relevant information they hold is shared to inform investigations moving forward.”

Read more | Former Chelsea player alleges club paid him to keep mum about sexual abuse

The harrowing tales of abuse suffered by the former players, some of whom have broken down in tears in television interviews, have shocked Britain. They raise questions about the scale of the problem, how much clubs and football authorities knew, and whether they tried to cover it up.

English football’s governing body, the Football Association, has launched an internal review into what it admitted could be one of the sport’s biggest crises, and promised to fully publicise its findings.

Read more | FIFA president Gianni Infantino urges zero tolerance for child abuse

The NPCC said not all the 98 clubs whose names were mentioned to the police were under investigation. “The figure spans all tiers of football, from premier clubs through to amateur,” it said in a statement. It added that 98 percent of the victims were male, aged between seven and 20 at the time.

The football abuse revelations are the latest in a series of paedophile scandals to have hit Britain in recent years.

Victims said the scale of wrongdoing was likely to be worse than in the case of TV star Jimmy Savile, a cigar-chomping BBC television host who abused hundreds of youngsters over six decades until his death in 2011.

Catch all the Latest Football matches score updates alongwith EPL 2024 Schedule , ISL 2024 Schedule and other related updates on ISL 2024 Points table on The Hindustan Times website and App
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On