Ex-Chelsea youth player alleges racial abuse

LONDON: Damien Wynter, an alleged victim of historical racial abuse at Chelsea, has gone public with his identity as he accused the Premier League club’s former youth coaches of bullying.

Wynter played for Chelsea’s youth team in the 1990s and has lifted the lid on “internal racism and internal bullying.”

Wynter told the BBC that former Chelsea youth coach Gwyn Williams referred to him as the ‘Brother’, told him “black boys can run” and did “nothing” to prevent other racial abuse taking place in the dressing room.

Chelsea are currently investigating claims of historical racial abuse made by a number of former players. Children’s charity Barnardo’s has been commissioned to conduct an independent review.

The investigation was opened after allegations were made against Williams and another former coach, Graham Rix. Both men have denied “all and any allegations of racial or other abuse.”

Chelsea have said in a statement: “We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously and they will be fully investigated.

“We are absolutely determined to do the right thing, to assist the authorities and any investigations they may carry out, and to fully support those affected, which would include counselling for any former player that may need it.”

Wynter spent two years at Chelsea before giving up football because of the abuse he says he suffered.

“It wasn’t just in the changing room it was from staff itself. Was it direct racism? I’d say so,” he said. “My first experience at Chelsea with racism was by Gwyn, and he called me the ‘Brother’.”

After this continued, Wynter claims his father made a complaint but he says that did not change anything.

“Nothing was done about that, so during the season Gwyn, he put his hand on my shoulder, he was a big man, I hadn’t seen him, I hadn’t spoken to him, but I remember looking up and he says, ‘You can do better than that, black boys can run’,” he said.