The Scottish Government is reported to be determined to ensure that the findings of a recent SFA report into Child Abuse is implemented in full.
Among many findings the report expected member clubs to face up to the historic issues with an apology the first stage of the process.
All but one clubs has issued a statement with the report shining a light onto the Continuity Lie created in 2012 by the SFA, SPL and the now defunct Scottish Football League.
Horrific details were published about former Rangers scouts Gordon Neely and Harry Dunn but so far the club formed by Charles Green in 2012 haven’t commented.
This follows the pattern from 2012 where the Tribute Act claims the glory of the club that went into liquidation owing money to 276 creditors but turns a deaf ear to the less than savoury aspects.
Picking up on a report in The Times, The Sun reports:
RANGERS are still the only club named in the Scottish football sex abuse report to remain silent, despite renewed calls by the sport minister for all clubs to apologise.
The independent report by the SFA – published on February 11 – ordered organisations who had failed to protect young players to offer an “unequivocal and unreserved” public apology.
The Times reports Scotland’s sports minister Mairi Gougeon saying “any clubs where young people suffered such abuse should apologise, and they should do so unreservedly … that is the least that the individuals and families who were impacted can expect.”
The SFA, Motherwell, Hibs, Falkirk, Partick Thistle, Forres Mechanics and Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale, an Edinburgh youth team all released statements expressing regret.
Meanwhile Celtic, whose feeder clubs are caught up in an abuse scandal spanning three decades, reiterated an apology from last year where club bosses said they were “very sorry”.
But Rangers have not released a statement since the SFA’s probe report was released almost two weeks ago.
We told you last week how an ex-Gers youth targeted by beast scout Harry Dunn urged Ibrox chiefs to end their silence over the SFA’s footie abuse report. The victim, now in his 50s, told of his anger that his old club had not apologised for the findings.
Ms Gougeon said: “The abuse that those young people were subjected to was abhorrent.
“I can only imagine the impact that it has had on them and on their families. Any clubs where young people suffered such abuse should apologise, and they should do so unreservedly. That is the least that the individuals and families who were impacted can expect.”
She added that the Scottish Government would work with the SFA to ensure compliance.
She said: “It is vital that those recommendations are implemented. I am sure that the individuals affected by this and their families would absolutely agree with that.”
