LISTEN: Eight Police forces now looking at alleged historical abuse linked to football
Eight police forces are now looking into allegations of historical abuse in football.
Eight police forces are now looking into allegations of historical abuse in football.
There have been 250 reports made to police and more than 50 calls were made to an NSPCC hotline set up for sexual abuse victims in football in the initial hours of opening.
Police Scotland is the latest force to confirm it is looking into allegations following claims of sexual abuse by former players, as the FA begins an internal review.
Fraser Wishart is the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association in Scotland:
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “We can confirm we have received reports in connection with non-recent child abuse within football.
“We are working with both Operation Hydrant and the NSPCC to ensure there is a co-ordinated UK police response. It would be inappropriate to comment further.”
In the House of Lords, Baroness Chisholm said: “Since this has come out, 250 people have already contacted the police in England and Wales.”
The national child abuse inquiry headed by Professor Alexis Jay is considering whether to investigate abuse in football as part of its overarching probe, Culture Secretary Karen Bradley told MPs.
And ministers are writing to all national sporting bodies to ask them to “redouble their efforts” to protect children in the wake of the scandal.
FA chairman Greg Clarke has admitted he does not know if the abuse in football was covered up by the authorities, as he scrambles to respond to ''the biggest crisis'' he has ever seen face the game.
A spokesman for Cambridgeshire Police said: “We have received multiple historical allegations from the NSPCC of abuse related to football in Cambridgeshire.
“The inquiries were received recently (the weekend of 26/27th) and are being looked into.”
Alison Todd is the chief excutive of the charity Children 1st:
The Metropolitan, Staffordshire, Greater Manchester, Hampshire, Cheshire and Northumbria police forces are all also investigating reports of abuse.