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BBC News1 min read
London Stadium and West Ham women's team not aware of David Sullivan contact ban
TL;DR
London Stadium was not informed about safeguarding restrictions on co-owner David Sullivan, raising concerns about risk assessment. The Football Association is investigating allegations of misconduct against Sullivan, who has been banned from accessing youth and women's teams.
Key points
- London Stadium was unaware of David Sullivan's contact ban
- Sullivan is under investigation for allegations of misconduct
- He has been banned from youth and women's teams
Mentioned in this story
London StadiumWest Ham UnitedDavid SullivanFootball Association
London Stadium - who own and operate the home of West Ham United - has raised concerns that they were not told about safeguarding restrictions relating to co-owner David Sullivan, the BBC has learned.
They say they "would expect to be informed" on these matters so they could "assess risk" and ensure measures were in place to protect their staff, contractors and the public.
The Football Association opened a safeguarding investigation in 2023 after receiving allegations about the conduct of Sullivan, the then co-chair of West Ham United.
In response, a safeguarding group made up of the club, the FA and the local authority decided to prevent Sullivan from having access to his own club's youth and women's teams.
The news came to light after an investigation by BBC Panorama and the Times revealed multiple women have accused Sullivan of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour, including pressuring them for sex during business meetings.
Sullivan, 77, said he "categorically" denies the claims, which span the period when he made a fortune from pornography, newspapers and football.
London Stadium have written to the Club, the FA and the relevant local authority to seek further information about the process and why they were not made aware.
West Ham's women's team, and the Women's Super League, were also not aware of any restrictions on David Sullivan's access and interactions with the team.
A West Ham spokesperson told the BBC that aside from parties directly involved in the safeguarding process, no other external parties were notified due to "best practice safeguarding agreed with independent external bodies".
They added that the number of people informed is intentionally kept to a minimum.
In a statement, about the safeguarding measures Sullivan said a temporary agreement was negotiated with the FA not to meet academy or women's team players "1-2-1" until a historical anonymous complaint was resolved. He has previously said he denies allegations of wrongdoing.
Sullivan said he had never met any academy or women's team players "1-2-1" during his 16 years at West Ham.
He said the complaint "had nothing to do about my time in football and it never happened".
"I saw it as a meaningless restriction, as it didn't impact on my work in any way, therefore I accepted it for a quiet life," he said.
Sullivan said it was inaccurate to describe this agreement as a "disciplinary 'ban'".
The Football Association said they have robust safeguarding measures but cannot comment on individual cases.
Do you have information relevant to our investigation? Get in touch at sullivaninvestigation@bbc.co.uk
Q&A
What allegations have been made against David Sullivan?
David Sullivan has been accused of sexually exploitative and predatory behavior, including pressuring women for sex during business meetings.
Why was David Sullivan banned from accessing West Ham's youth and women's teams?
Sullivan was banned following a safeguarding investigation by the Football Association in response to allegations about his conduct.
What concerns did London Stadium raise regarding the contact ban?
London Stadium expressed concerns about not being informed of the safeguarding restrictions on Sullivan, stating they expected to be notified to assess risks and protect staff and the public.
