Will we ever know full scale of football abuse scandal?

FOOTBALL chiefs fear the full terrifying extent of a widespread child sex abuse scandal is unknown – as some victims are unwilling to come forward.

Players’ union boss Fraser Wishart told MSPs investigating the issue that the scale could be even greater than first thought as some ex-pros were reluctant to face the public glare.

More than 1000 referrals have already been made to a UK-wide probe into the allegations, with Scottish clubs among the 98 teams involved in the investigation.

However, Fraser Wishart, Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Scotland chief executive, said the true picture was yet to emerge, perhaps due to the stigma players feared would be attached to them if they admitted they were abused.

“We have heard anecdotally that there are more ex-professionals who are victims but not willing to come forward,” he wrote in a letter to Holyrood’s health committee. “This may be as their family and friends are unaware or they may not wish their name to become public, which is always a chance when there is such media scrutiny.”

Last week, former police chief Martin Henry was appointed to head up a major Scottish Football Association (SFA) review of the issue.

Tam Baillie, Scotland’s children’s commissioner, welcomed the SFA inquiry but said structural issues in the game needed to be addressed.

He said: “The system in place gives scant regard to the best interests of the children involved.

“It is the combination of power imbalances and vulnerable children, which some adults associated with professional clubs have exploited. As long as these elements remain, so too will the risk of further abuse.”

As revealed by The Sunday Post in 2015, a loophole in the rules means football agents only need to prove they have had checks on their criminal history when they’re involved in a transfer.

Both the PFA Scotland and National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) have called for it to be closed.

In its submission to the committee, the NSPCC said: “There appears to be no requirement for talent scouts or intermediaries to be part of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups system, despite them being in contact with children and potentially having significant influence over them.”