West Ham co-owner resigns amid sordid allegations of sexual harassment

Sullivan spent sixteen years at the club, and his era was marked by numerous controversies, from the unpopular move from the Upton Park stadium to constant fan protests. However, no previous earthquake could match this one. In the club’s official press release, it was confirmed that Sullivan resigned after “being informed of the impending publication of serious historical allegations”, but also stressed that “none of the allegations relate to West Ham United or its business”. Sullivan himself explained that he was withdrawing in order not to become a hindrance to the club at a difficult time.

‍- After very careful consideration and with a heavy heart, I have decided to resign with immediate effect. This is an incredibly painful decision, but it was made out of love, respect and responsibility for the football club and the fan base who deserve absolute unity and focus in the future – said Sullivan.

He announced that he would “focus all his energy and attention on the fight against the false accusations” and threatened defamation lawsuits against the BBC and any other media that reported the disputed allegations.

A BBC investigation reveals shocking details

The investigation, broadcast as part of the BBC show “Panorama” under the title “Predator: The Billionaire Football Boss”, presented the testimonies of seven women who accuse Sullivan of using his enormous influence and wealth to coerce them into sexual relations between the 1980s and 2000s.

Some of the women claim that they were very young, at the beginning of their careers, when Sullivan, who made his fortune in the porn industry, lured them to his mansion with false business offers. The accusations allege that job interviews, for example for the position of personal assistant, turned into requests for sexual services, suggesting that consent was a condition of employment.

The BBC and The Times published a new report on the Sullivan investigation on Monday. Island media revealed that Sullivan admitted that in the 1990s he paid for sexual intercourse with a teenage girl who, according to him, was 16 or 16 years old at the time. Sullivan was then in his 40s, and paying for sex with 16- or 17-year-olds only became illegal in 2003 in the United Kingdom.

He has a controversial past

Sullivan, whose fortune is estimated at more than one billion euros, began his career by selling pornographic photographs and later built an empire that included sex shops, erotic magazines and low-budget porn films. Back in 1982, he was convicted for earning money from prostitution, but the verdict was overturned on appeal after he spent 71 days in prison.

The investigation also shed light again on one of the most bizarre episodes from his media past: the “Countdown to 16” column in his Sunday Sport newspaper. In 1987, the column published sexualized photos of a 15-year-old girl, announcing the publication of her topless photos when she turned 16, which eventually happened.

The scandal surrounding Sullivan happened at the worst possible time for West Ham. After fourteen years, the club was relegated from the Premier League, and longtime vice president Karren Brady left before Sullivan. The fans protested against the administration for months, symbolically waving red cards in the 16th minute of matches, alluding to the 16 years of Sullivan’s rule.

It was also revealed that the English Football Association (FA) was aware of the allegations as early as 2024 and launched an internal investigation, but they assessed that there was no basis for his suspension. The club will be temporarily led by executive director Karim Virani, and it is expected that the Hungarian billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, who currently holds 27 percent of the shares, could soon increase his ownership share.

(*with the use of AI)