Indigenous football figure Barry Cable is being sued over allegations he sexually abused a Perth teenager in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

His identity had been suppressed in the lead up to a civil trial which is intended to last five days, commencing Wednesday, but District Court judge Mark Herron ruled Tuesday that Mr Cable can be named.

He has denied the allegations and has not been charged with any offence.

The woman's legal action is based on claims Mr Cable sexually abused her between 1968, when she was in her early teens and he 24 or 25, and 1973 when she was in her late teens and he was around 30.

Mr Cable at that time was at the peak of his career and playing at Perth in the WAFL and North Melbourne in the VFL.

The woman is also seeking damages for psychiatric harm she alleges she suffered as a result of continuing sexual behaviour and harassment by Mr Cable between 1974 and 1991.

She commenced the legal action in 2019 after changes in Western Australian law removed the statute of limitations for legal action by people who alleged they had been sexually abused.

Mr Cable had tried unsuccessfully several times to have the case thrown out of court, including a challenge in the WA Court of Appeal, the ABC reports.

He has not been represented by a lawyer since December, when the court heard he planned to take no part in proceedings and would rely on the written submissions already filed.

The district court has been told that Mr Cable has no funds available to pay damages in the event of them being ultimately awarded by the court.