Former darts player Eric Bristow has apologised for describing the victims of football's sexual abuse scandal as "wimps".
In a series of tweets, the 59-year-old made controversial remarks in relation to allegations that a number of ex-professional footballers were sexually abused by coaches in their youth.
A number of individuals, including Andy Woodward, have publicly come forward to claim that they were abused by former Crewe Alexandra coach and convicted paedophile Barry Bennell.
In one tweet, which was later deleted, Bristow wrote: "Might be a looney but if some football coach was touching me when i was a kid as i got older i would have went back and sorted that poof out."
The five-time world champion added: "Dart players tough guys footballers wimps."
Today, the former world number one appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain to apologise and explain his remarks, admitting: "It was worded wrongly. If you want me to apologise I will apologise. It was misworded. The whole idea was to get over to youngsters now to complain. [The footballers] are not wimps, they have been abused from young kids."
When asked if he was sorry for calling the players "wimps", Bristow replied: "Yes. Of course I am sorry for that, that wasn't the whole idea of it. The idea was to get to the youngsters.
"The whole idea of this Twitter conversation was to get young kids aware and complain when they're being abused when they're younger. There's no good doing it 30 years later, you've missed the boat.
"If I stop one young lad getting abused at a young age I've done what I wanted to achieve. That was the whole idea of it. Every day you open the paper there's a new lot [of child sex abuse]. There's too many of them about.
"If it's upset a few people it's upset a few people but if one child stops and tells someone they're getting abused that's the whole idea of it all."
Bristow was dropped from his punditry duties with Sky Sports as a result of his comments, while Newcastle United have cancelled his appearance at a darts legends event hosted at St James' Park.
