In an age of stringent health and safety procedures, one South London school looks to have gone too far!..by banning children from playing football in football boots!

Children on a football training course at Bedonwell Primary School in South London have been banned from wearing football boots - because they are deemed too dangerous.

Young aspiring footballers on the training scheme, run by coaches from Championship side Charlton Athletic, have also had their trainers prohibited and are instead told to wear plimsolls during matches on grass football pitches.

Bedonwell Primary School, hosting the course on behalf of Charlton Athletic, has sent a letter to parents stating: “Your child should have their school PE kit with plimsolls. For health and safety reasons, children will not be allowed to wear trainers or football boots.”

Catherine Turner, 34, whose six-year-old daughter Bethan won a place on the scheme, said the school was “wrapping children in cotton wool.”

“Bethan’s godparents bought her some football boots in preparation for the course. Bethan was very excited about it, but I received the letter telling me she would not be allowed to wear them for health and safety reasons. When I asked why, I was told the football boots could cause injury. It’s just crazy - do you think Bobby Moore and the World Cup winning team of 1966 had to put up with this?”

The courses are run for children aged six and seven, who play five-a-side matches on grass football pitches under the guidance of Charlton Athletic’s community coaches. Charlton Athletic, who has links with 75 schools in the area, claimed it was unaware of the stringent the health and safety restrictions.

A spokesman said: “All the children on our courses are required to wear football boots on grass but, if the school has its own regulations, we are happy to go along with them.”

Even Sir Bobby Robson, the Former England manager, has waded into the debate, attacking the ban. He said: “The irony is that football boots are safer than plimsolls - they are designed to stop you slipping and sliding and turning on your ankle, which is a common injury.”

» Leave a comment