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Met football abuse inquiry covers four Premier League clubs | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
People linked to four Premier League football clubs in London are being investigated over historical sex abuse allegations, the Met Police have said. | |
Officers say they are looking at 106 claims related to 30 clubs or teams - including two in the Championship and three in Leagues One and Two. | Officers say they are looking at 106 claims related to 30 clubs or teams - including two in the Championship and three in Leagues One and Two. |
Twenty-one non-league, non-professional or amateur teams are also involved. | Twenty-one non-league, non-professional or amateur teams are also involved. |
It comes as the Scottish Football Association has set up an independent review of child abuse allegations. | It comes as the Scottish Football Association has set up an independent review of child abuse allegations. |
Several former players have come forward in recent weeks to say they were abused as children by people in positions of authority. | Several former players have come forward in recent weeks to say they were abused as children by people in positions of authority. |
Football abuse claims: What has happened so far? | Football abuse claims: What has happened so far? |
Stories of child abuse: 'Not the only one' | Stories of child abuse: 'Not the only one' |
More than 20 UK police forces have confirmed they are investigating claims of historical child abuse in football. | More than 20 UK police forces have confirmed they are investigating claims of historical child abuse in football. |
Last week police chiefs said there were 83 potential suspects and 98 clubs involved. | Last week police chiefs said there were 83 potential suspects and 98 clubs involved. |
The National Police Chiefs' Council said 98% of the identified victims were male and that they were aged between seven and 20 when they were allegedly abused. | The National Police Chiefs' Council said 98% of the identified victims were male and that they were aged between seven and 20 when they were allegedly abused. |
In an update to the action being taken by the Met, Det Ch Supt Ivan Balhatchet said specialist officers would be working through information passed to them. | In an update to the action being taken by the Met, Det Ch Supt Ivan Balhatchet said specialist officers would be working through information passed to them. |
He added: "The number of referrals, pieces of information and allegations will change." | He added: "The number of referrals, pieces of information and allegations will change." |
He urged anyone who had been the victim of sexual assault to contact their local force, or call the NSPCC help line on 0800 023 2642. | He urged anyone who had been the victim of sexual assault to contact their local force, or call the NSPCC help line on 0800 023 2642. |
Thirteen London-based clubs are in the four top English football league divisions, with five in the Premier League - Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham and Crystal Palace. | |
The Met did not name any of the clubs involved in its inquiries. | The Met did not name any of the clubs involved in its inquiries. |
Chelsea, however, have already apologised to former player Gary Johnson over abuse he suffered in the 1970s and are conducting their own review. | |
QPR say they are taking allegations made against a former employee "very seriously", while Charlton Athletic have also opened an investigation into historical abuse allegations. | |
The sport's governing body in England, the Football Association, has said it plans to conduct an internal review to determine whether it could or should have done more. | |
Meanwhile, BBC Scotland has revealed that about 2,500 coaches are working in youth football in Scotland without having full background checks. | |
Of the 15,385 coaches registered with the Scottish Youth Football Association, 2,500 had not had Protecting Vulnerable Groups clearance. |