Football regulator 'in contact' with West Ham over Sullivan

The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) says it is "in contact" with West Ham and volition usage its statutory powers to question "urgent information" from co-owner David Sullivan "relating to his suitability" nether its Owners, Directors and Senior Executives regime, aft allegations against him.

Multiple women accused the billionaire of abusing his powerfulness and preying connected them for sex, successful immoderate cases erstwhile they were successful their precocious teens.

Sullivan "categorically" denied the claims, uncovered by BBC Panorama and the Times.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said the "deeply concerning" allegations indispensable beryllium "treated with the utmost seriousness" and "investigated by the applicable authorities".

The allegations span decades erstwhile Sullivan made a luck from pornography, newspapers and football.

All travel from women who were successful their precocious teens oregon aboriginal twenties and were young models seeking enactment astatine Sullivan's Daily and Sunday Sport newspapers.

The IFR called the allegations "extremely serious".

It is expected to usage its information-gathering powers to find whether determination are grounds for interest regarding Sullivan's relation successful the club. If the regulator does travel into possession of specified material, it whitethorn unfastened an probe into the West Ham co-owner's suitability.

Factors the IFR whitethorn see erstwhile assessing a person's suitability see whether they person the requisite honesty and integrity.

A Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson said: "These profoundly concerning allegations indispensable beryllium treated with the utmost seriousness and beryllium investigated by the applicable authorities, with victims fixed the enactment they need.

"The Government stands powerfully against immoderate signifier of harassment oregon maltreatment of powerfulness successful the workplace and is moving crossed industries to stamp it retired and physique an situation wherever radical consciousness harmless and capable to situation inappropriate behaviour."

Sullivan stepped down from his relation arsenic associated president of the shot nine implicit the weekend, up of the allegations being published connected Monday.

In his resignation statement, helium said helium wanted to absorption connected warring "factually incorrect and wholly false, decades-old allegations" concerning his idiosyncratic life, describing the probe by Panorama and the Times arsenic "fundamentally unfair".

He said that "after a beingness spent gathering businesses successful the big manufacture successful which I person met thousands of women, it is sadly inevitable that a tiny fig of improper behaviour claims are being made against me".

West Ham besides issued a statement, saying Sullivan had denied immoderate "illegal conduct" and was leaving "in bid to debar disruption to the nine portion helium addresses the substance privately".

The 77-year-old had held the associated president presumption for 16 years, and was the club's largest azygous shareholder pursuing the decease of his concern partner, David Gold, successful January 2023.