FA 'dismissive' of sexual abuse among youth players, says victim

A victim of abuse from a man with links to Manchester City says the Football Association was "dismissive at best" when his father tried to flag up its questionable child protection policies in the 1990s.

Ian Ackley told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme his now-deceased father's pleas to the FA, the government, and sporting bodies "fell on deaf ears," even when the pair substantiated findings of paedophilia during a Channel 4 investigation in 1997.

Ackley Sr. was canvassing for greater protection for young players and stringent criminal record checks for coaches working in the game - the latter of which only came into play in 2003 or, according to some accounts, as late as 2007.

"This was pre-internet, pre-social media," Ackley said. "Everything was handwritten and my father diligently wrote to anyone and everyone who he thought would be in a position of influence in order to affect this change. That was his real goal."

Unfortunately, the appeals to the FA to review and revamp their policies over child protection were ignored, says the former City youth player, allowing abuse to go undetected at the northwest outfit, Chelsea, Crewe Alexandra, and 52 other sides until the scandal came to light this November.

Related: Ex-Chelsea assistant Gradi to answer claims he was aware of abuse

Ackley continued: "The replies were dismissive at best. They were always alluding to the fact it was somebody's else's problem. ... It was very much giving you snippets of information to appease you.

"Not only was I affected when I was abused, but when I, my Dad, and the Channel 4 programme tried to bang this drum extremely loudly we were ignored for the second time."

This secret and sickening underbelly of football surfaced when Andy Woodward detailed his story of the treatment he received from serial paedophile and ex-youth coach Barry Bennell at Crewe in the 1980s to the Guardian's Daniel Taylor last month.

The FA has pledged to undergo a thorough internal investigation in light of the abuse shame that's cascading through football, a case headed by barrister Clive Sheldon QC.

Twenty-one police forces are also believed to be probing both historic and present claims of sexual abuse.