The Football Association is investigating after a child alleged that he had been subjected to bullying and discriminatory abuse in Cardiff City’s academy.

The Athletic can reveal that a young footballer, aged below 14, has alleged that instances of racism took place on a minibus while travelling to an away match. The child has told an FA investigation that his own team-mates are the alleged perpetrators. The young boy himself gave evidence to the FA investigators over a Zoom call.

The child, who is no longer training with the academy after becoming unhappy in the environment, is of Middle Eastern heritage. He told FA investigators that he heard monkey noises and that team-mates also rubbed bananas into his clothes. The FA investigators also heard alleged that staff failed to respond in a satisfactory manner and clamp down on the abuse. Indeed, it is claimed the alleged victim was told to get on with it and clean it up himself by a staff member who first heard the complaint at the time. The young player and his family are being supported by the anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out.

The player has currently dropped out of the club’s academy and returned to grassroots football, although he does sometimes train at satellite facilities owned by the club.

In a statement to The Athletic on Wednesday evening, a Cardiff City director said: “We can confirm that we are aware a complaint has been made to the FA regarding an alleged instance of racist behaviour and bullying between children whom were enrolled in the Club’s academy.”

The club confirmed that the allegations date back to events in 2018 but argue that the claims around racism have only surfaced in recent months. The club say they were aware of complaints about the player’s treatment in their academy but insist that “no staff or coaches were involved.”

Following the player’s initial complaints, the director says that the club’s academy and education department “thoroughly investigated the matter at the time.” The Cardiff director added: “A meeting was convened with all the players from the group and their parents/guardians at which point the Club’s code of practice and standards were reiterated. This was followed by an educational presentation.”

Now, however, the child and his guardians have escalated the complaint by reporting allegations of racism, as well the aforementioned alleged bullying, to the FA.

There is also understood to be a dispute between the player’s family and the club over his right to register at a different club after leaving Cardiff. In accordance with Football League regulations, Cardiff are alleged to be insisting on compensation payments for any players who leave in his youth age group to sign for different clubs. The guardians in question believe Cardiff should waive the right to compensation as the club is alleged to have failed to provide a safe environment for their child.

The Cardiff director continued: “No complaint of discrimination was raised by the player or his guardians at the time. The complaint has been made by the player’s guardians to the FA nearly three years after the event and following a meeting with the club at which the club confirmed it would agree to release the player and that it would not relinquish its entitlement to training compensation should the player wish to join another club.”

Cardiff say they are prepared to “engage” with any club who wishes to sign the player but also claim the player’s guardians said previously that they did not wish to re-enter elite football until the player turns 16.

The Cardiff academy has been beset by issues in recent years. A Cardiff statement in March revealed the club had launched “a comprehensive investigation into non-recent allegations of bullying and poor practice relating to the club’s academy”. This step preceded the allegations of racism that can now be reported.

In March, the Daily Mail newspaper reported that the club’s academy manager James McCarthy had been one of those suspended as the club confirmed two staff members had been stood down while the internal process was carried out. The club’s safeguarding officer Rob Cronick, a former detective chief inspector with South Wales Police, is tasked with conducting a second investigation, over which the FA and EFL retain a level of oversight. This is separate to the FA’s investigation into the allegations of racism.

Cardiff’s academy had previously been criticised when former Wales captain and Liverpool forward Craig Bellamy stepped down from his position as their under-18s coach in January 2019. The club had investigated a bullying claim against Bellamy and others. Bellamy denied the allegations made against him. The club’s investigation flagged “a number of significant concerns” and concluded that academy players faced an “unacceptable coaching environment” at the club. The club’s findings did not name individual staff members in its conclusions.

The FA is unable to officially comment on the details while an investigation is ongoing.