FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called for a "zero tolerance" approach towards child abuse in football.
Infantino's comments come amid a scandal engulfing British football, with the Football Association having launched an investigation into claims of sex abuse at professional clubs.
The Swiss, speaking to reporters in Singapore, said: "It has to be taken seriously. There must be zero tolerance from that point of view, from a football perspective, but also from a criminal perspective as well.
"Those who have been guilty of abusing on children need to be punished very seriously. They have to be out of football, that is without question, but also on the criminal side they need to be punished.
"There are not many worse things in life, not in football life but in life generally, than child abuse."
Infantino also stated that football needs to review its methods of safeguarding children at clubs.
"The Football Association is already, of course, looking into that matter and this is something that has to be taken very seriously," he added.
"In football as well, we probably have to look into that with more care and more attention in order to prevent any potential child abuse in the future."
