FA investigates child abuse cases

Details of the cases are expected in November

The Football Association is investigating 132 cases of potential child abuse within the football industry, from community clubs to the Premiership.

Some cases include allegations of sexual or physical abuse, as well as claims of bullying and coaches using bad language - which the FA also considers to be abuse.

The association held its second national conference on child protection in Derby on Tuesday.

And it is one year into a five-year research project to look at how serious abuse is within the industry.

Dave Jones was falsely accused of abuse

The FA has a child protection policy to ensure children are safe wherever they train or learn to play football.

It has also set up the FA/NSPCC child protection helpline, a 24-hour confidential telephone line for children and adults to ask for advice or report child protection issues.

Lucy Faulkner, FA sports equity and child protection manager, told BBC News Online the allegations ranged from parents shouting from the sidelines at young players to accusations of sexual offences, which had been referred to the police.

'Small fraction'

She said: "There are 44,000 clubs with about half a million adults involved in the game, and we have 132 cases, some historical and some current, so it's a tiny proportion."

The child protection team advises the FA about the selection of new coaches.

It has integrated a three-hour education workshop about child awareness into the induction process for new recruits.

The last thing I would want is for someone who is guilty to slip through the net because of the allegations thrown at me

Dave Jones

Dave Jones, boss of first division Wolverhampton Wanderers, told the 400 people attending the conference at Derby's Pride Park about the nightmare he endured when he was falsely accused of abusing children on Merseyside in the 1980s.

He walked free from court in December 2000 after proceedings against him were halted.

Mr Jones told delegates: ''You are supposed to be innocent until proven otherwise, but in child abuse cases it is the other way round - you are presumed to be guilty until you can prove your innocence."

Tony Pickerin, the FA's head of education and child protection said best practice in child protection was very important within the sport.

"That means encouraging those working with youngsters to do things properly and put the welfare of the child first."

The first findings of the FA study, including a detailed breakdown of the 132 cases is expected to be made public in November.