Professor Celia Brackenridge 1950-2018

CROSS POSTED ON BYLINE.COM

Very sadly yesterday Celia Brackenridge died after a long battle with leukemia.

I have written an obituary which has been published in my old newspaper  The Guardian this evening. You can read about her extraordinary career here.

She will be sadly missed by her immediate family, friends, her partner, Diana, sports professionals across the world , academics at Brunel University and local people who got to know her in Berkhamsted.

Her fearless  campaigning  against sexual abuse in sport was ahead of our time and comes just as some of the people, particularly in the football world are finally facing justice for the sexual abuse of young promising soccer stars.

She faced the equivalent of today’s internet trolls – hate mail – from people who did not want to believe  this was happening or wanted it covered up.

The good news is that her work will not die with her because there is substantial funding  for  the Safe Sport International  organisation she set up and  action will continue on the issues she has raised.