SINGAPORE - Fifa president Gianni Infantino on Thursday (Dec 8) promised that the world football body will adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards child sex abuse and that offenders would be banned from the sport.
He was responding to a question about the child sex abuse scandal currently enveloping English football, one which has shocked the world with more than 300 people alleging that they have been abused.
Speaking to local and international media at the Four Seasons Singapore, Infantino said: "There are not many worse things in life, not only in football life but (also) in life generally, than child abuse so it has to be taken seriously.
"There must be zero tolerance from a football perspective and also from a criminal perspective.
"Those who have been guilty of abusing young children need to be punished very seriously, they have to be out of football - that is without question."
Those who have spoken up include former England and Tottenham footballer Paul Stewart, former Crewe Alexandra players Andy Woodward and Steve Walters and former Newcastle players Derek Bell and David Eatock.
The Football Association (FA) has launched an internal review, with FA chairman Greg Dyke calling it one of the biggest crises in the history of the FA.
Infantino, who is in Singapore for the Dec 6-8 Fifa executive football summit, added that Fifa will see if it can do more to prevent potential child (sex) abuse in the future.
He said: "We probably have to look into (the case) more, (and pay) more care and more attention to prevent any potential child (sex) abuse in the future."
