UK government ‘concerned’ by abuse claims against West Ham co-owner

David Sullivan quit as joint chair of the relegated Premier League football club to fight what he said were ‘false allegations’.Former West Ham United chairman David Sullivan looks on from the stands before a Premier League match at the London club's stadium [John Sibley/Reuters]Published On 9 Jun 2026Allegations that the billionaire co-owner of West Ham football club, David Sullivan, preyed on women for sex are “deeply concerning”, the British government has said.The 77-year-old recently quit as joint chair of the London football club to fight what he said were “false allegations” about his private life.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4World Cup form guide: Ranking the eight MENA teams in the tournamentlist 2 of 4World Cup star power: Do Ronaldo & Messi still rule, or is Mbappe the guy?list 3 of 4World Cup: Rating the chances of top European teams at the tournamentlist 4 of 4Can sub-Saharan Africa outdo noisy neighbours from north at World Cup?end of listBut Sullivan, who built a business empire from owning pornographic magazines, remains West Ham’s largest shareholder.Reports broke in the British media on Monday of accounts from seven women accusing Sullivan of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour.The allegations date back to the 1980s and 1990s, when Sullivan owned British tabloid newspapers the Daily Sport and the Sunday Sport. The women claim Sullivan was involved in pressuring young or aspiring models in their late teens or early 20s.In a statement, a spokesman for the United Kingdom’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport said on Tuesday: “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.”Speaking Saturday before the allegations were made public, Sullivan said he “categorically denies” all the claims.Neither he nor his lawyers has made any further public comment since Monday’s reports were published.London’s 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”.The force said their investigation related to one alleged victim and was being led by specialist detectives.“We take all allegations of offences against women and girls extremely seriously, no matter the length of time that has passed,” the Met said.“As with all cases, any information or evidence provided to police will be assessed and the appropriate inquiries carried out.”‘Sensationalised’Sullivan said at the weekend that “the false allegations levelled against me have been sensationalised by the media”.He said, “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.“I categorically deny these claims.”He added that standing down from his chairman and director roles at West Ham was “incredibly painful”, but a decision made “out of love, respect and responsibility” towards the club and its supporters.The BBC, meanwhile, confirmed in a statement to AFP that it was investigating allegations that Tony Livesey, the former editor-in-chief of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport, had helped facilitate a meeting between Sullivan and one of his accusers.“The Panorama investigation included allegations about Tony Livesey which we take seriously. We also note Tony has firmly denied the allegations,” a statement read.Livesey, currently a presenter on the BBC’s specialist news and sport channel Radio 5 Live, has “asked to step back from presenting his radio show for a short period”, it added.Sullivan and business partner David Gold completed their takeover of West Ham after selling Birmingham City, and brought Karren Brady with them as vice-chairman.Their tenure oversaw the unpopular move from Upton Park to the former Olympic Stadium in 2016, making the trio the focus of numerous anti-board protests among West Ham supporters even before the club was relegated from the Premier League last month.Gold died in 2023, aged 86, while Brady left her role in April.England’s Independent Football Regulator (IFR) said Monday it is in contact with West Ham about the “extremely serious allegations”.A spokesman added: “We will use our statutory powers to seek urgent information from David Sullivan relating to his suitability under our owners, directors and senior executives regime.”Czech businessman Daniel Kretinsky bought a 27 percent stake in West Ham in 2021 and is reportedly set to increase his holding.