Child protection measures are paramount
two associations woefully lacking in the application of current rules governing the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme for Coaches and others involved with young players.
Our evidence sessions with the SFA and SYFA demonstrated their failure to communicate and work together to ensure child protection policies are in place and monitored.
We also found an alarming failure by the SFA and SYFA to recognise and address the power imbalance in the relationship between professional football clubs and children and young people.
The committee was concerned that both organisations failed to grasp the gravitas of the situation; that the protection of children participating in sport is paramount.
The BBC reported in December of last year that 2500 coaches working in youth football had not been PVG checked.
When asked whether the figures reported were accurate, we found the information provided to us by the SYFA inconsistent, both in relation to the rate of turnover of its membership and the number of checks undertaken, as well as the levels of backlog in PVG checks since at least August 2016.
The PVG scheme is an important component of the child protection measures used by football clubs. To not have this most basic of protection measures operating effectively was an alarming finding.
There seemed to be clear attempts by the SFA to place the blame for this mismanagement solely at the door of the SYFA who, they insisted, were an autonomous organisation affiliated to them.
The SFA did detail some tightening of procedures. They have appointed a child wellbeing and protection manger. They have also agreed a directive to be implemented by all its members to provide greater consistency.
Their approach was explained as being “soft-touch” to ensure policies were in place as opposed to being implemented.
As a committee we believe that the current “soft touch” approach is simply not working effectively to protect children and young people participating in football. We believe the ultimate responsibility for this lies with the SFA as the governing body.
The SFA have the power and procedures available to them to address this and the committee called for the current failings to be eradicated, failing which we want to see all government funding, grants and other monies stopped.
The central concern at the heart of all these issues is power and the power imbalance apparent in football. This has manifested itself in various guises throughout our engagement with the SFA and SYFA.
Primarily the power imbalance lies with the relationship between professional football clubs and children and young people.
The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Tam Ballie told the Committee that this imbalance was unique to football and arose he stated “as it was in the clubs’ vested interests to have complete control of the children”. He emphasised everything was done to the advantage of the professional football clubs and to the disadvantage of the children involved.
It was alarming that the Chief Executive of the SFA stated he did not believe there was a power imbalance because there had been a number of changes to their procedures to address such issues. However, only two weeks ago we saw accusations in the press that in the case of Celtic Boys Club kids are being bullied and put at risk with no consequences for the alleged perpetrators.
I asked the SYFA, if I was to present myself to a soccer academy wanting to volunteer, what the PVG process would be. The representative’s response indicated an automatic assumption that only men can become involved in these roles. This indicates we have a long way to go in opening football organisations to all.
Rather than taking responsibility for the concerns we had highlighted, the SFA attempted to exert power by deflecting blame.
This included, upon publication of the committee report, the SFA launching a personal attack at our Convener, Neil Findlay MSP, to deflect from the fact that he was merely expressing our consensual committee views on our concerns with their performance.
For improvements to be made in youth football, fundamental changes need to made. The SFA and SYFA have not been playing by the rules. Their conduct has not been in the spirit of the game and it is time this kind of behaviour was given the red card!