One topic that football avoids discussing due to its uncomfortable nature is the rape and sexual abuse of young individuals within clubs. Reports have primarily focused on child sex abuse. Still, the act of exploiting kids who are not physically ready to play a particular position due to the club’s shortage of players is now being discreetly concealed.
Furthermore, its concealment is the lack of an apparent solution to the question of whom to report the abuse. It appears that the police are unwilling to acknowledge the situation, as they refuse to categorise the act of allowing a young person to participate in activities they should not be involved in as either abuse or a crime. The activity will likely persist until a parent successfully files a complaint against a club for such activities.
Furthermore, if a parent reports to the police multiple times, they may be categorised as a “vexatious complainant” in the police records. As a result, they will be denied access to the appropriate department when calling, and their letters will go unanswered.
Furthermore, in such instances, the police may occasionally neglect to request proof, exacerbating the situation. If you report a club’s conduct about a 15-year-old to the police, and if there is no sexual activity involved, they will likely respond by saying, “This is not within our jurisdiction.”
It appears that the police will not initiate an investigation into the reported destruction of medical records unless there is a preserved copy available. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for lawyers specialising in investigating cases against clubs to transition into advisory or board member roles inside those organisations. This creates a conflict of interest, preventing them from taking on such matters, and smaller local firms may be hesitant to challenge their more influential counterparts.
Naturally, my assertions in these areas rely on second-hand information, and I cannot substantiate these claims. However, my concern stems from these ideas being circulated without any media outlet (which undoubtedly possesses more significant resources than Untold Arsenal) addressing the issue. The clubs implicitly warn the media that they will no longer be allowed access if they publish specific stories, and the press comply with this warning.
Undoubtedly, the police can invoke the justification of being burdened with an excessive workload, and it is well acknowledged that the police force is severely understaffed. In June of this year, a BBC investigation indicated that the Metropolitan Police is on track to have its lowest number of workers in ten years by March of next year, as Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley warned.
The BBC attributed this to “insufficient funding and limited recruitment,” citing Sir Mar as the source. Given the excessive earnings earned by footballers, including young ones, compared to the modest income of the average policeman, it is unsurprising that they may not prioritise investigations into child abuse by clubs, particularly if the group is actively discouraging police involvement.
Unfortunately, the change of administration is unlikely to impact the financial situation of the police positively. According to a recent report by the BBC, the Metropolitan Police will face a budget deficit of £400m in 2025-26, which would hinder implementing plans to restructure the force.
The Home Office refutes this claim by offering vague promises of future improvements and presenting questionable statistics. According to reports, the Metropolitan Police will be allocated a budget of £3.5 billion in 2024-25, an increase of £125.8 million compared to the previous year. That claim is questionable because it solely pertains to the Metropolitan police, while child abuse in football clubs is not limited to London. Secondly, this increase will primarily reinstate a portion of the funds reduced in the previous year and is subject to a maximum limit. This purported rise is essentially illusory, as it may not materialise and could be reduced due to unforeseen government concerns.
Although the police do not have the last say in all matters, when they refuse to investigate the destruction of medical information, it is typically due to legal advice from their lawyers. As previously mentioned, the solution to this issue is to establish a legislative mandate that necessitates all medical incidences at a football club to be documented by the club itself and subsequently duplicated on a central server at the Football Association (FA). Subsequent inspections can be scheduled to ensure compliance with this requirement, and parents can request the FA to verify that a report has been included in the central database.
Businesses frequently duplicate data to a central file to provide backups of critical information. However, applying this concept to the context of football, particularly concerning injuries sustained by individuals under the age of 16, seems unusual. There is no possibility or opportunity.
Currently, clubs still have the opportunity to conceal proof of child abuse by allowing an injured player under the age of 16 to participate in games and, after that, frightening the individual who made what they claim to be “false allegations.” Clubs often appoint lawyers to serve on their boards to safeguard the clubs from any accusations.
However, the local Member of Parliament (MP) is frequently reluctant to investigate due to the high probability of being entertained and influenced by the club seeking assistance or preferential treatment due to its financial losses. Furthermore, due to the League and the FA’s ability to transfer matters between each other, it appears that no action is being taken. The system is subpar.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.