The government has told the Football Association to get its affairs in order after a fortnight of damaging headlines over the Faria Alam sex scandal.

Richard Caborn, the sports minister, called on the FA to to make itself "fit for purpose in the 21st century".

He said: "In terms of not just football but most sports, I have been asking them to look at the governance and the regulation of their sports.

"UK Athletics has done that, the England and Wales Cricket Board is looking at how they can reorganise and the Rugby Football League has been doing a tremendous amount.

"The government does not want to be involved in regulation of sport but obviously if there was an absolute breakdown of a sport they would look to government to give some leadership and rightly so... But the FA in my view will hopefully get their house in order."