Every four years, the World Cup brings people together from all over the world to enjoy their shared love for football.
At its best, football can be a powerful force for good - it can bring us together in shared moments of joy and celebration, it can inspire children and adults alike to believe in their dreams, to participate in sport and exercise, and can teach important lessons about sportsmanship, cooperation and persistence.
Precisely because of this power, football's governing bodies have a responsibility to ensure that players uphold appropriate standards of behaviour in their public and professional lives. This is made clear within the FIFA Code of Ethics and FIFA Disciplinary Code, which strictly outlaw all forms of harassment, exploitation, and abuse (physical, emotional, or sexual), both on and off the pitch. For this to have meaning, those alleged to have broken this code must be properly investigated and the consequences of a sportsman continuing to play during that period of time must be carefully considered.
The public's perception of what is acceptable or to be aspired to can be profoundly influenced by the conduct of their heroes and heroines, and this in turn has an impact on how confident survivors feel in institutions' willingness to take reports seriously, and to hold perpetrators to account for their behaviour - no matter how good an athlete or sportsman they may be.
Rape Crisis England & Wales stand in solidarity with all survivors, and are here for anyone who needs our help - any time of day or night.
- Ciara Bergman, CEO, Rape Crisis England & Wales