Football regulator 'in contact' with West Ham over Sullivan

Multiple women accuse the billionaire of abusing his power and preying on them for sex, in some cases when they were in their late teens. Regulator 'in contact' with West Ham after David Sullivan allegations Ex-model tells BBC about meeting with David Sullivan Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. West Ham co-owner David Sullivan is holding a maroon shirt featuring his name, in a photograph dated 19 January 2010. Football regulator 'in contact' with West Ham over Sullivan The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) says it is "in contact" with West Ham and will use its statutory powers to seek "urgent information" from co-owner David Sullivan "relating to his suitability" under its Owners, Directors and Senior Executives regime, after allegations against him. Multiple women accused the billionaire of abusing his power and preying on them for sex, in some cases when they were in their late 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 must be "treated with the utmost seriousness" and "investigated by the relevant authorities". David Sullivan, a man with swept-back grey hair wearing a dark coat and a navy tie, pictured at the London Stadium, West Ham's home ground. West Ham co-owner accused of preying on women for sex David Sullivan wears a black suit while sitting on a desk in his home in 2003. Who is David Sullivan - football boss, 'king of porn' and alleged sexual predator? West Ham's joint-chair David Sullivan looks on from the stands prior to the team's game against Everton at London Stadium in April 2026 Sullivan steps down at West Ham in wake of allegations The allegations span decades when Sullivan made a fortune from pornography, newspapers and football. All come from women who were in their late teens or early twenties and were young models seeking work at Sullivan's Daily and Sunday Sport newspapers. The IFR called the allegations "extremely serious". It is expected to use its information-gathering powers to determine whether there are grounds for concern regarding Sullivan's role in the club. If the regulator does come into possession of such material, it may open an investigation into the West Ham co-owner's suitability. Factors the IFR may consider when assessing a person's suitability include whether they have the requisite honesty and integrity. A Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson said: "These deeply concerning allegations must be treated with the utmost seriousness and be investigated by the relevant authorities, with victims given the support they need. "The Government stands strongly against any form of harassment or abuse of power in the workplace and is working across industries to stamp it out and build an environment where people feel safe and able to challenge inappropriate behaviour." Sullivan stepped down from his role as joint chairman of the football club over the weekend, ahead of the allegations being published on Monday. In his resignation statement, he said he wanted to focus on fighting "factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations" concerning his personal life, describing the investigation by Panorama and the Times as "fundamentally unfair". He said that "after a lifetime spent building businesses in the adult industry in which I have met thousands of women, it is sadly inevitable that a small number of improper conduct claims are being made against me". West Ham also issued a statement, saying Sullivan had denied any "illegal conduct" and was leaving "in order to avoid disruption to the club while he addresses the matter privately". The 77-year-old had held the joint chairman position for 16 years, and was the club's largest single shareholder following the death of his business partner, David Gold, in January 2023. A joint investigation by Panorama and the Times newspaper into the behaviour of David Sullivan, who has announced he is stepping down as co-chair and director of West Ham United Football Club. Over decades, he has made millions from pornography, newspapers and football. 'He said I could be one of his special friends': Ex-model tells BBC about meeting with David Sullivan Woman with long blonde hair sitting in a dining room of a house Do you have information relevant to our investigation? Get in touch at sullivaninvestigation@bbc.co.uk Do you have information relevant to our investigation? Get in touch at If you are affected by any of the issues in this story, help and support is available at BBC Action Line If you are affected by any of the issues in this story, help and support is available at BBC Action Line