English football abuse claims extend to 98 clubs

UK police believe nearly 100 English football clubs were involved in the child sex abuse scandal that has rocked the country and dozens of potential suspects have been identified.

The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) revealed on Friday that 98 football clubs and 83 potential suspects have so far been involved in the sex abuse scandal.

The NPCC believes 98 percent of the 350 victims are male with their ages at the time of the alleged abuse ranging from seven to 20.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) said the figures reflected the seriousness of the scandal.

"These shocking numbers now identified by police reveal the deeply disturbing extent of abuse that has been going on within football," said an NSPCC spokesman.

The NPCC said a total of 639 referrals have been relayed to Operation Hydrant, a British police investigation into allegations of "non-recent" child sexual abuse. It added that all calls were being treated seriously and being dealt with as quickly as possible.

"We are ensuring an efficient and effective service-wide approach to investigating allegations, removing the potential for duplication and enabling the timely and effective sharing of intelligence and information between forces," said Simon Bailey, the lead for the NPCC on child protection.

Greg Clarke, the current chairman of The Football Association in Britain, has termed the revelations as the greatest crisis he can recall in English football.

The scale of the abuse began to emerge last month after ex-footballers Paul Stewart, Steve Walters and Andy Woodward revealed the abuse they suffered at the hands of youth coaches.

The sexual allegations have been made against several coaches but have so far centered mainly on Barry Bennell, a youth coach with Manchester City.

Recent figures show the number of UK child sex abuse cases reported to police is dramatically on the rise, with cases being passed to police at a rate of 100 a month by the public inquiry set up following the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Savile, a BBC radio and television presenter who died in 2011, was accused of numerous allegations of sexual abuse stretching back six decades.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) in Britain was announced by then-UK Home Secretary Theresa May on July 7, 2014.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk