The English Football Association has opened a safeguarding inquiry into a leading Premier League figure who has previously been investigated by the police for a number of sex offences.
The man in question, a well-known name in England’s top division, cannot be identified because of UK privacy laws granting him anonymity unless he faces criminal charges. He has never been charged and denies any wrongdoing.
At least three women have reported him to the police over a number of years, making allegations of sexual offences. All the cases have now been dropped.
This year, in two of the cases, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided there was not enough evidence to prosecute him. However, the FA remains sufficiently concerned to begin its own investigation to determine “the risk this individual may, or does, pose to children and/or adults at risk within affiliated football”. If the FA believes there is a risk, it has the power to issue an interim suspension order while a full risk assessment report is carried out.
The evidence-gathering process started this week and David Gregson, the FA’s professional game safeguarding manager, is putting together a dossier to determine what, if anything, the sport’s governing body does next.
One of the three women contacted the police…
