Report damns English FA for failing to act on decades of sexual abuse of children

March 18 – An independent report into decades of sexual abuse of young players in English football by paedophile coaches has strongly criticised the national association, saying it did not do enough to keep the victims safe between 1970 and 2005.

The English FA, the damning report said, acted too slowly because of its own “significant institutional failings”.

The long-awaited 710-page review, commissioned by the FA in 2016 following a wave of personal testimonies, said there were at least 692 abuse survivors and 240 suspects and drew an immediate response from current FA chief executive Mark Bullingham who offered “a heartfelt apology” to all survivors and added there was “no excuse” for the organisation’s failings.

Calling it a “dark day” for the sport, Bullingham went on national television to express his feelings to the victims.

“No child should ever have experienced the abuse you did,” he said. “What you went through was horrific and it is deeply upsetting that more was not done by the game at the time, to give you the protection you deserved.

“There are consistent features in this review. Of bystanders who didn’t do anything. Of children that weren’t believed. Of the damage that has been caused.”

Julian Knight, the chair of British parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee said the FA’s failure to protect children was “truly shocking”.

“We could be looking at the biggest safeguarding scandal in football’s history,” he said. “The FA has grave questions to answer about its past record and needs to reassure parents about what it’s doing now to ensure that children are being kept safe from predators.”

Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1711679070labto1711679070ofdlr1711679070owedi1711679070sni@w1711679070ahsra1711679070w.wer1711679070dna1711679070