The UK government has expressed concern over allegations that West Ham co-owner David Sullivan abused his power to prey on women for sex, in some cases when they were in their late teens. A Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) spokesman said the “deeply concerning” allegations must be “taken the utmost seriousness” and investigated by the appropriate authorities.
The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has stated it is “in contact” with West Ham United and intends to utilize its legal authority to request “immediate information” from co-owner David Sullivan regarding his “suitability” within the framework for Owners, Directors, and Senior Executives. An IFR spokesperson said: “These are extremely serious allegations. We are in contact with West Ham on this matter and will use our statutory powers to seek urgent information from David Sullivan relating to his suitability under our owners, directors and senior executives regime.”
Multiple women have accused the billionaire of exploiting his authority and taking advantage of them for sexual purposes, often when they were in their late teens. Seven women reported accounts of Mr Sullivan’s alleged predatory behaviour dating back to the 1980s and 1990s, primarily when he owned tabloid newspapers the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport.
All allegations originate from young women in their late teens or early twenties who were aspiring models seeking employment at Sullivan’s Daily and Sunday Sport newspapers, known for their images of topless and scantily clad women. The women accuse Sullivan of engaging in predatory and sexually exploitative conduct, including coercing them for sexual favors during professional meetings, where he purportedly promised to enhance their careers in exchange for sexual acts or oral sex.
One accuser, identified as Florence (a pseudonym), expressed that she felt compelled to engage in sexual activity with him against her will. These claims date back several decades to when Sullivan amassed wealth through ventures in pornography, media, and football.
Sullivan has “categorically” refuted all allegations, which were revealed by BBC Panorama and the Times. At the weekend, Mr Sullivan said he “categorically denies” all of the claims and characterized the investigation as “fundamentally unfair” and “factually and entirely false” regarding his personal life.
The 77-year-old recently quit as chairman of the east London football club to fight what he claimed were “false allegations” about his conduct. The Metropolitan Police said they were investigating a report relating to the “alleged taking of indecent images and sexual exploitation at locations in London and Essex in the 1980s,” and this investigation relates to one alleged victim and is being led by specialist detectives from the Met’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team.
The BBC reported that a total of eight women, including one from their investigation, had reported Sullivan’s behavior to law enforcement, although he was never prosecuted. Police have urged potential victims of sexual offences to come forward after allegations were published about billionaire businessman and West Ham co-owner David Sullivan.
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. The regulator is anticipated to exercise its information-gathering powers to evaluate whether there are valid concerns regarding Sullivan’s position within the club.
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