Chelsea pays damages to ex-youth players over past racism
Feb 6, 2022, 3:36 PM | Updated: Feb 7, 2022, 5:52 am
LONDON (AP) — Chelsea will pay compensation to four former youth-team players over historical racist abuse at the London club, preventing the need for a harrowing court case.
The four men sued Chelsea, seeking damages for personal injury and loss over claims they were “subjected to a barrage of disgracefully offensive racist abuse” from two members of the youth coaching staff in the 1990s when the club was under a previous ownership.
It was alleged in court documents that one coach “would accompany that verbal abuse with physical assaults of a sexual nature”. The men were aged between 14 and 18 at the time.
They will receive six-figure payments from Chelsea from the out-of-court settlement.
“The club is pleased that we have been able to conclude a settlement of these claims without any further litigation,” Chelsea said in a statement. “We will continue to offer support to the former players concerned through our dedicated player support service.”
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