Former Chelsea manager handed life ban for 'barrage of racist abuse' directed at teenage boys

Gwyn Williams received a life ban from England in 2019, but this was not made public. Photo: Getty Images/Neil Simpson

Secret A lifetime ban has been imposed on the former Chelsea manager following allegations of racist bullying at the club, which resulted in them paying damages to former players.

Gwyn Williams, who spent time at club for 27 years, received the toughest sanctions from the Football Association almost five years ago — almost three years before four of his alleged victims reached an out-of-court settlement over claims he and Graham Rix had made. them «under a barrage of shamefully offensive racial slurs» in the 1990s.

It emerged that Ricks was also serving a secret life ban from women's football as a result of his 1999 conviction for two offenses of sex with a 15-year-old by a minor, before returning to work at Chelsea.

This sanction was not renewed due to allegations of racism against the former England international, who is now manager of Wessex Football League side Fareham Town, after the FA ruled there was insufficient evidence to substantiate them.

The secret bans imposed on Williams and Rix are part of the FA's controversial policy of not publicizing protective sanctions.

“Releasing details may have serious consequences,” the organization explains in a media guide. “This includes re-traumatizing victims and/or causing them to relive harmful experiences of violence. In addition, vigilantism can have harmful consequences for innocent people associated with those involved in defending cases.»

The FA's policy contrasts sharply with that of sports such as athletics and gymnastics, although such policies do not generally exist. the secrecy of legal actions taken against those accused of such abuse.

This included an out-of-court settlement in which Chelsea paid compensation to four former alleged victims of Williams and Rix in February 2022, shortly before the preliminary proceedings. -trial hearing in the High Court of London.

The plaintiffs' lawyers said Chelsea were «vicariously liable» for the abuse allegedly committed when they were aged between 14 and 18.

A Chelsea spokesman said after the hearing: «The Club is pleased that we were able to complete the settlement of these claims without any further litigation.

“We will continue to support former players through our dedicated Player Support Team.”

In 2019, Chelsea's Barnardo's report into allegations of historical abuse at the club said: «While it appears that Graham Rix may have been aggressive and intimidating, the evidence he presented showed that he was not racially violent. According to reviewers, the same cannot be said about Gwyn Williams.

Williams and Rix have categorically denied allegations of racial abuse of young players at Stamford Bridge.

Ricks worked at Chelsea between 1993 and 2000. Williams joined in 1979 and left in 2006.

After the 2019 report was published, Chelsea said: “Although the club today is a very different club to the club then, under new ownership, operating structure and safety procedures, we will not shy away from responsibility for what happened in the past.

“The purpose of the review was to shine a bright light on the dark corners of the club's history so that we can learn lessons that will help protect the players of the future. We also have no desire to hide any recent irregularities that we have discovered.»

The FA declined to comment when contacted by Telegraph Sport.