Times Sport editor John Hutchins offers his personal opinion on the events, topics and personalities in the world of sport.

HAVING written about football last week I did not really want to focus on the ‘Beautiful Game’ this time. However, I feel it would be amiss to ignore the current crisis to hit the game.

More than 20 former professional footballers have so far come forward with allegations of historical child sex abuse in football since former Crewe player Andy Woodward waived his right to anonymity and revealed his ordeal. An NSPCC hotline took 860 calls in its first week alone, with 60 of these passed on to to the police, children’s services and other agencies.

‘The football child sex abuse scandal is one of the biggest crises in the history of the Football Association,’ admitted its chairman Greg Clarke, while alleged abuse victim Paul Stewart, a former Tottenham and Liverpool player, said the sport could face allegations on the scale of the infamous Jimmy Savile debacle.

The Football Association has announced an ‘internal review’ and individual clubs are holding their own inquiries. I won’t hold my breath on its findings, although only this time, I do not think it is one — even if many in the FA wanted to — that can be swept under the carpet. It is a litigation ‘can of worms’ and only can be broached with a full inquiry, backed at the highest level.

I find it lamentable that these monstrous abuse acts have been going on for years, where a handful of deviant coaches have targeted vulnerable children entrusted in their care, though, I cannot believe that many inside the game, perpetrators or not, did not know or simply turned a ‘blind eye’ to the abuses for their won personal reasons or fears. This code of silence was not helped by a predominantly ‘macho’ culture that still pervades the game.

Another tragedy is that these few ‘rotten apples’ have turned the spotlight on those tens of thousands of decent, responsible and dedicated coaches — many of whom give their time voluntarily week after week — for the love of the game and to benefit the next generations.

I hope the bravery of victims like Andy Woodward to come forward is not wasted, the perpetrators punished and a real solution found.

At this moment the ‘Beautiful Game’ with its sex abuse scandals, corruption and over hype of its product does not look so ‘beautiful’ and has lost another layer of its former lustre in the cold light of day.