'INSTITUTIONAL FAILURE'
The FA were guilty of five years of failure to protect children in game from paedophiles, independent inquiry finds
THE FA made a grovelling apology to victims of child abuse in the game after a major report found the governing body did nothing to protect them from paedophiles.
FA chief Mark Bullingham admitted it was a “dark day for the beautiful game” after QC Clive Sheldon’s damning 710-page report into sexual abuse in football between 1970-2005.
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The FA were criticised for failing to ban two of the most high-profile and serious abusers, Barry Bennell and Bob Higgins, from working in the sport.
MPs branded the FA’s failure to keep children safe “truly shocking” and the “biggest safeguarding scandal in football”.
The Sheldon Inquiry insisted the FA were guilty of inexcusable “institutional failings” in delaying the implementation of child safeguarding measures between 1995 and 2000.
Sheldon found the FA did not even consider safeguarding children until 1995 and Bullingham confessed the governing body had “no excuse”.
Manchester City, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Newcastle and Southampton were among the clubs who were also found to have failed to act on allegations of wrongdoing.
City apologised “publicly and unreservedly” to those who were abused by three individuals connected to the club, while the Premier League and the EFL also apologised to survivors.
The report was commissioned by the FA in December 2016 in the wake of the revelations made by former football Andy Woodward about his abuse at the hands of serial paedophile Bennell.
So far 692 victims are known to have suffered at the hands of 240 abusers — and it took many to break their silence before the scale of the issue came to light.
Premier League statement
The Premier League is deeply saddened by the contents of Clive Sheldon QC’s Independent Review into Child Sexual Abuse in Football and our thoughts are with all those affected.
The League recognises the bravery and extraordinary courage shown by the victims and survivors who have come forward. We are sorry for the abuse and pain suffered and acknowledge the lasting impact this has had on all those who have been harmed and their loved ones.
Having considered the review – which relates to events between 1970 and 2005 - we accept the findings and insight it provides. The Premier League is committed to working in partnership with our clubs and their community organisations, The FA, statutory agencies and other key partners to address the conclusions and recommendations which will further strengthen safeguarding arrangements across the game.
The Premier League has long-standing rules in place which govern our clubs. We will continue to prioritise the implementation of robust and effective safeguarding measures to promote and protect the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.
However, there is no room for complacency. We regularly assess our safeguarding arrangements. These reviews include independent scrutiny and take changes in legislation and statutory guidance into account as well as current best practice and learnings from reviews in and out of sport.
Getting support and raising concerns:
- NSPCC helpline for adult victims and survivors of football-related childhood abuse 0800 023 2642. For more information about the support available click h
- The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) also have a helpline for any victims and survivors of childhood abuse (0808 801 0331) or click
- Club and Premier League safeguarding teams can be contacted for advice or to raise a concern. Click for more information.
Bullingham said: “Today is a dark day for the beautiful game, one in which we must acknowledge the mistakes of the past and ensure we do everything possible to prevent them being repeated.
“I would like to give a heartfelt apology on behalf of the FA and the whole English game to all survivors that this happened to within football. No child should ever have experienced the abuse you did.
“What you went through was horrific and it is deeply upsetting that more was not done by the game to give you the protection you deserved.
“There is no excuse. It is clear these children were let down by the game, authorities and society as a whole. We all failed to protect them.
“They deserved answers long before today. An investigation should have been done when accusations were first made in the 1990s. We must ensure we never see a repeat of this abuse.”
Sheldon’s report — four years in the making — listed 13 recommendations.
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MP Julian Knight, chair of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said: “The FA’s failure to keep children safe is truly shocking.
“There can be no excuses for the critical delays to act. We could be looking at the biggest safeguarding scandal in football’s history. I am shocked by the scale of abuse identified.
“The FA has grave questions to answer about its past and needs to reassure parents about what it’s doing now to ensure children are being kept safe from predators.”
FA executive Mark Bullingham offers ‘heartfelt apology’ to abuse victims and says lessons must be learned
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