Top female official says more diversity in football may have prevented sex abuse

17 January 2017 15:08

One of football's most senior female officials has claimed a lack of diversity in positions of authority may have contributed to the British game's child sexual abuse crisis.

Shortly before Christmas, the National Police Chiefs' Council announced it has identified 429 new potential victims and 155 suspects from 148 amateur and professional clubs across the United Kingdom.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) vice-president Moya Dodd told Sky Sports News HQ : "I do think that a more diverse game is one answer to ensuring that these sorts of things are less likely to occur.

"We do know that very non-diverse environments are where bad decision-making flourishes. It's where secrecy, corruption and wrongdoing can flourish."

Dodd, a former Australia international who is campaigning for one of the three vacant AFC seats on the FIFA council, said encouraging diversity on club, league and member association boards is one of the key initiatives being pursued by world football's governing body.

"We will never know exactly what difference that would have made (in the past)," said Dodd.

"But we do know that wrongdoing is less likely to flourish in a culture, an environment that is more open, accountable and transparent. Diversity is part of that."

The Football Association's 12-strong board includes only one woman, independent non-executive director Heather Rabbatts. Rabbatts, who is of mixed race, is the only representative from an ethnic minority on the board and a strong advocate of greater diversity in the game.

Debbie Jevans is the only woman on the Football League's 10-person board.

Source: PA