West Ham United has confirmed that a 'very limited number' of staff were informed of a 2023 decision to prohibit co-owner and former chair David Sullivan from contacting the club's youth and women's teams. The restriction was part of a safeguarding investigation by the Football Association.
Conflict of Interest Avoided
Tara Warren, a non-executive director of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), will not be involved in the inquiry into allegations of sexual misconduct against David Sullivan to avoid a conflict of interest due to her previous ties to West Ham United. Warren served as an executive director of West Ham and the club's women's team before joining the regulator.
Sullivan's Resignation and Allegations
David Sullivan announced his resignation as a director and co-chair of West Ham last Saturday, prior to the publication of a joint investigation in which seven women accused him of abusing his power and preying on them for sex. The allegations date back to the 1980s and 1990s. Despite his resignation, Sullivan remains the club's largest shareholder with a 38.8% stake.
The regulator is seeking clarity before launching a potential investigation. English football's regulatory body has described the allegations as 'extremely serious' and possesses statutory powers to force a club owner to divest their shares if deemed unsuitable.
Safeguarding Measures
Since 2023, Sullivan has faced restrictions on his contact with West Ham's women and youth teams due to an FA safeguarding investigation. Sullivan has described the restriction as 'meaningless and did not amount to a ban' and stated that he accepted it 'for a quiet life.'
West Ham issued a statement on Thursday confirming that the safeguarding measures followed the club's safeguarding policy, as agreed with the FA and local authority. The club added that 'only a very limited number of West Ham United employees were informed of these measures.' The Guardian reported this week that the women's team is now aware of the restrictions imposed on Sullivan.
Tara Warren's Role
Warren left the club last December. She was appointed as a director of the women's team in February 2023. She joined West Ham as a marketing director in 2009 and became an executive director in 2014. Warren was a close ally of Karren Brady, who stepped down as West Ham's vice-chair in April.
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy appointed Warren as one of five non-executive directors of the regulator in February. The Guardian inquired about a potential conflict of interest and whether Warren's previous links with West Ham would see her recused from any investigation into Sullivan.
A spokesperson for the regulator stated: 'The IFR has robust policies and processes in place to ensure any interests that may conflict with the responsibilities of board members are known and managed accordingly. Where a board member does have a conflict or perceived conflict of interest, they will be recused from any decision making role relating to the matter.'
Warren denies being aware of the allegations made against Sullivan before their publication this week. Through his lawyers, Sullivan has denied the allegations against him.
Potential Sale of Stake
Sullivan is believed to be open to selling his stake. Daniel Kretinsky, West Ham's second largest shareholder, is interested in acquiring a majority stake. The Czech billionaire could achieve this by purchasing the Gold family's 25% stake.
