West Ham owner Sullivan accused of sexual exploitation and abusive behavior in historic allegations
West Ham owner David Sullivan is facing allegations from seven women that he abused his power to get them to have sex, the former co-chairman has denied.
In the Panorama program broadcast on Monday, the women said they were sexually abused by Sullivan while they were modeling and looking for work in Daily and Sunday Sport, published by Sullivan.
The allegations, which date back to the 1980s, were revealed as part of a joint investigation by BBC Panorama and The Times. Sullivan is accused of pressuring women to have sex during business meetings and offering work incentives to women by sleeping with him or giving him oral sex.
Another woman, who went by the pseudonym Florence, said she felt pressured to sleep with Sullivan when she didn’t want to.
The claims, all from women in their twenties or early twenties, were “denied” by Sullivan.
A statement released by BBC Panorama and The Times on Saturday reads: “BBC Panorama and The Times have been working together on a joint investigation into the conduct of David Sullivan, who has announced he is stepping down as Joint-Chair and Director of West Ham United FC. Over the decades, he has made millions from pornography, newspapers and football. The investigation is due to be broadcast and published on Monday.”
Sullivan resigned from his position as joint chairman of West Ham before the allegations were made public.
His statement read: “I have just found out that completely untrue and completely false, decades-old allegations about my life have to be circulated and published.
“The false allegations leveled against me have attracted the attention of the media. After spending my entire life building businesses in the adult industry where I have met thousands of women, it is sadly inevitable that a small number of allegations of inappropriate behavior will be made against me. I categorically deny these allegations.
“I am an independent person, and those who know me personally and professionally, the real David Sullivan, not the caricature created by the newspapers, know exactly who I am and what I stand for.
“I was not given a proper explanation of how these people or their claims were independently verified or checked for credibility before they were published. I believe the whole process was unfair and completely lacked any proper impartiality. I will be suing the BBC for defamation, as well as any other news source that repeats any such scandalous allegations.
“None of these allegations are related to my more than 30 years in football; West Ham United has been one of my biggest passions and privileges in my life. I care deeply about the club, its fans, its players, its staff and its future. In what is already a challenging and important time for the club, I refuse to allow matters that affect me to be a distraction or an unnecessary distraction.
“Therefore, after careful consideration and with a heavy heart, I have decided to resign with immediate effect as Joint Chairman and Director of West Ham United FC with immediate effect.
“This has been an incredibly painful decision, but one that has been made with love, respect and responsibility for the football club and the fan base that deserves total unity and focus.
“I am resigning to devote all my energy and attention to fighting these false allegations. I have contacted my legal team and we are preparing to take legal action regarding all the false allegations against me. I will be seeking full redress, legally and publicly, from all parties.”
