NOW ABUSE INQUIRY TO LOOK AT ‘HAZING’

THE FA’s independent review into sexual abuse has started to look at initiation ceremonies which were endured by teenage apprentices.

The review, led by Clive Sheldon QC, was set up last year after former Crewe player Andy Woodward’s revelation that he had been abused by a youth-team coach in the Eighties prompted scores of further allegations of non-recent abuse by coaches and scouts who worked for clubs such as Manchester City, Chelsea, Southampton and Newcastle.

Having interviewed about 15 survivors of abuse, and with plans to speak to at least 20 more, Sheldon has come across examples of ‘hazing’, a term used in America to describe brutal initiation ceremonies for young professionals. The initiations were common in the Eighties and Nineties in the UK and some were seemingly abusive.

David Beckham and Paul Scholes have previously spoken about such ceremonies at Manchester United when they were teenagers, with Beckham saying he was forced to perform a sexual act while looking at a photo of a senior player.

It is understood the inquiry will hear evidence from ex-Stoke City apprentice George Blackstock, who alleges he was assaulted with a goalkeeping glove smeared with a deep heat treatment when he was 16 in the Eighties. In 2015, former Stoke goalkeeper Peter Fox was cleared of physically assaulting Blackstock. Fox claimed the incident never happened.

Sheldon is examining whether there is evidence that abusive initiations took place and whether the clubs or the FA were aware of them. If there is evidence of criminal activity, it will be passed to police.

He will also pass on any concerns over individuals still involved in the game to the FA’s safeguarding team. It could also open up clubs to legal action from former players if there is evidence children were not properly protected.

Sheldon is looking into all aspects of abuse, from grass-roots football to the professional game, attempting to discover whether there were links between the perpetrators.

Operation Hydrant, which the police launched in 2014 to co-ordinate investigations into non-recent child abuse, is investigating the claims involving football. Last week, they revealed they are looking into complaints involving 331 clubs. They have had 2,028 referrals, an increase of 142 on the previous figure at the end of June.

Inquiries have so far resulted in former Crewe coach Barry Bennell and f ormer Newcastle coach George Ormond being charged with multiple sexual assaults in separate cases. Both deny the charges and their separate trials are scheduled for next year.

Sheldon’s report is expected to be finished by Easter next year, when the FA will publish the findings.