The advice issued by London Stadium follows a joint media investigation which reported that seven women had accused Sullivan of predatory and sexually exploitative conduct. He has firmly rejected all of the claims.
Shortly before the investigation aired, he resigned as the club’s joint chairman, explaining that he wished to concentrate on challenging what he described as “factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life”. He continues to be the club’s biggest shareholder.
The investigation further disclosed that safeguarding concerns had led to Sullivan being prohibited from having contact with West Ham’s women’s and youth sides for three years. London Stadium did not know about these conditions until they were reported by the media.
The restriction was introduced after a historical complaint concerning his behaviour was submitted to the Football Association in 2023. Sullivan has previously denied the allegation and said that, having never met academy or women’s team players “1-2-1” during his 16 years with the club, he agreed to what he regarded as a “meaningless restriction…for a quiet life”.
West Ham dropped out of the Premier League in May and are scheduled to host Portsmouth in a Carabao Cup fixture on Saturday, their first home match of the new campaign.
A representative for London Stadium, which operates the publicly owned venue, said that “following media reports at the end of the season regarding a safeguarding matter being managed by the club, London Stadium sought further information to ensure it could fulfil its own safeguarding responsibilities”.
According to the operator, West Ham advised that the “matter was investigated and that the club does not consider there to be an ongoing safeguarding risk associated with Mr Sullivan attending the stadium”.
Nevertheless, the stadium operator recommended that Sullivan avoid attending matches because of the “potential for demonstrations and anti-social behaviour by some spectators”.
West Ham chose not to provide a statement. The club is understood to be planning discussions with the venue’s operators to make arrangements for Sullivan to attend matches.
Sullivan has not replied to an invitation to comment.
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