Kind words are just not enough. SFA must back up apologies with action

The Scottish Football Association will no doubt be congratulating themselves that they have “done the right thing” by those who were abused in football.

But in fact, all they have done is pay lip service to the dreadful wrongs of the past.

It’s all too easy to do the moral thing and say a few contrite words – but they need to do the right thing and put money into repairing damaged lives.

An apology, no matter how nice or sincere the words, is worth nothing at all unless it is backed up by action.

The SFA must accept liability. If they do not, their apologies are not only worthless, they are tantamount to abusing victims all over again.

I’ve been campaigning on historic child abuse issues for almost 30 years. I’ve seen and heard the most appalling cases of abuse, victims left scarred and broken.

At the beginning of my journey, organisations were loathe to even acknowledge terrible past abuses.

Persistent campaigning by survivors means there is, at last, recognition. Organisations are now apologising. But without taking the appropriate action to right the damage done, apologies are hollow.

By not accepting liability, they leave victims feeling worthless and abused all over again.

As football’s governing body, the SFA has a responsibility to take the lead on this issue.

The SFA and clubs where abuse took place are no different from any of the organisations and institutions where children were abused in care and who found themselves at the centre of the child abuse inquiry.

They should accept responsibility and liability, and do so quickly wherever possible without dragging victims through years of combative court actions.

Martin Henry will know all of those things from his years of working with the church and abuse victims, so I’m surprised that message was not spelled out loud and clear in his report along with his words urging apology.