Williams and Rix face racial abuse claims
Chelsea are investigating allegations of racism and bullying made against former coaches Graham Rix and Gwyn Williams by three former youth team players.
According to a report in The Guardian, Rix and Williams, the man often credited with spotting former Chelsea captain John Terry, are accused of racially abusing black players during the 1990s.
Although police decided there was insufficient evidence to take action after a seven-month investigation, Chelsea have launched their own inquiry and the Football Association’s safeguarding team has interviewed two of the players.
Rix and Williams are alleged to have abused the players physically, emotionally and verbally over several years, including racial slurs.
Williams, 68, joined Chelsea in 1979. He left in 2006, having worked as assistant manager to Claudio Ranieri. He then joined Leeds as technical director, but was dismissed in 2013 after sending an “obscene” email containing pornographic images to work colleagues.
Rix, 60, joined in 1993 and left in 2000, one year after being jailed for having sex with an underage girl.
Rix and Williams have denied “all and any allegations of racial or other abuse” in a statement via their lawyers, while Chelsea said: “We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously. We are absolutely determined to do the right thing, to fully support those affected, assist the authorities and support their investigations.”