The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
SFA’ s apology for abuse in Scots football
Survivors of abuse in Scottish football have described how they were raped and sexually assaulted, in a report into allegations of abuse within the sport.
The Scottish Football Association has published the final report of a review commissioned at the end of 2016 following an “unprecedented” number of allegations of non-recent sexual abuse in the sport, mainly said to have occurred in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.
An interim report published in 2018 made 95 recommendations for change and improvement.
As part of the review, 33 people, some of whom waived their anonymity, provided personal accounts of their experiences.
They included P Haynes, who alleged that in 1979 he was abused by a registered referee, coach and scout, who died in 2004.
He said he was subjected to sexual abuse and rape and felt unable to extricate himself or tell anyone because he felt he would be stigmatised and that it would jeopardise his football career.
Another man, J Cleland, who also waived his anonymity, told how he was abused by a coach, referred to as D, who worked at Hutchison Vale Football Club and later at Hibernian and Rangers and died in 2014.
Mr Cleland joined Hutchison Vale (Youth) Football Club in the early 1980s when he was 10 and alleged he was raped by D on eight to 10 occasions.
The review found most of the young people who experienced sexual abuse did not report it to anyone else at the time.
The review authors said they were “struck by how easy it was for these adults (with a sexual interest in children and young people) to navigate Scottish football “to maximise secrecy and concealment”.
It said there were sometimes flaws in decision-making and omissions in the actions which were taken which meant that “regrettably sometimes this meant that little or no action was taken at all”.
The review said it is “encouraging” that the Scottish FA and its members have taken serious steps to deliver on many of its recommendations.
However it said it would be a “grave mistake” to believe sexual abuse in Scottish football is now a “historical” issue.
It added culture change within football in Scotland is imperative, including challenging negative and harmful attitudes to mental health and challenging homophobic attitudes and behaviours.
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell said: “I am deeply upset by the contents of the final report into sexual abuse in Scottish football and, in particular, by the deeply personal, traumatic experiences endured by young players.
“I reiterate my sincerest apology on behalf of Scottish football to all who have experienced abuse in our national game.”