07 December,2016 08:12 AM IST | | AFP
There are claims several British football clubs have used gagging orders to silence victims of sexual abuse at the hands of youth coaches, a lawyer working with victims has said
London: There are claims "several" British football clubs have used gagging orders to silence victims of sexual abuse at the hands of youth coaches, a lawyer working with victims has said.
Chelsea have apologised to former player Gary Johnson, who was abused by late chief scout Eddie Heath, after waiving a confidentiality clause in a 50,000 pounds agreement they made with him. Lawyer Edward Smethurst, who helped set up the Offside Trust for abuse victims, said players forced to sign non-disclosure agreements in return for compensation were coming forward "all the time".
"Certainly, the allegations have been made by victims that confidentiality clauses have been used in relation to other clubs, but I'm not in a position to independently verify this," he was quoted as saying by British newspapers yesterday.
