Bellamy, who played for nine top level clubs and also represented Wales, set up the Craig Bellamy Foundation in 2008. Its aim was to ‘offer children in Sierra Leone the chance to reach their true potential’. The charity ran a football academy and boarding school, as well as a nationwide youth league. The footballer is one of three trustees at the charity.

At one point there were 35 promising players living and studying at the academy, while the youth league helped around 2,400 boys and girls. However, its activities ceased abruptly in September 2016, with reports that some of the former academy students have been left in dire straits.

The charity’s entry on the Charity Commission website shows its accounts for the year to 31 May 2015 are 348 days overdue. It had an income of £381,666 and spent £360,688 in the year to 31 May 2014, the most recent year for which accounts are available.

A Charity Commission spokesperson said: ‘I can confirm that concerns have been raised with us about the Craig Bellamy Foundation and the closure of its academy in Sierra Leone. We are assessing these concerns to determine what if any role there might be for the commission.

‘As part of our engagement, we are reminding trustees of their duty to file their outstanding financial accounts. Trustees must account to the public and donors for their income and expenditure, and the failure to do so may give rise to concerns about the governance and administration of a charity.’

A solicitor representing Bellamy said a legal team was examining alleged financial irregularities at the charity.

The solicitor said in a statement: ‘Mr Bellamy has recently appointed a new legal team to investigate any irregularities in the management of his financial affairs. These investigations are ongoing and we therefore cannot comment further at this stage on any specific allegation.

‘His legal team will assist all government agencies in their investigations and, if necessary, his legal team will take action against those responsible for any wrongdoing.’