Chelsea's silence 'broke no rules'

The current Chelsea regime did not break any rules by keeping quiet about allegations of sex abuse suffered by former youth player Gary Johnson, the English Premier League said on Thursday.

"After careful consideration, the board has determined that no Premier League rules were broken by the club not reporting this matter to them in 2014," the Premier League said in a statement.

The league said it has insisted Chelsea - whose present owner, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, took over years after the abuse - retains an independent expert to carry out a full safeguarding audit.