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West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has stepped down from his role as joint chairman and director of the club following the emergence of what the club described as serious historic allegations against him.
The 77-year-old announced his resignation with immediate effect, saying he wanted to focus entirely on defending himself against the claims, which he strongly denies.
His departure comes at a difficult period for the club following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Sullivan denies allegations
In a statement, Sullivan said the accusations were false and had no basis in fact.
“A small number of improper conduct claims” have been made against me, he said.
He added: “I categorically deny these claims.”
Describing the allegations as “decades-old,” Sullivan insisted they were “factually incorrect and entirely false.”
The businessman also revealed plans to take legal action against media organisations reporting the claims.
“I plan to sue the BBC for libel along with any other media outlet that repeats any libellous allegations,” he said.
Sullivan explained that his decision to resign was intended to prevent the controversy from becoming a distraction for the club.
“At what is already a challenging and important time for the club, I refuse to allow personal matters concerning me to become an unnecessary distraction or a source of instability,” he said.
Club outlines interim plans
West Ham confirmed Sullivan’s resignation and stated that he denies any illegal conduct.
The club added that none of the allegations are believed to be connected to West Ham or its operations.
“It is understood none of the allegations relate to West Ham United or any of its operations,” the club said.
West Ham also confirmed that interim chief executive officer Karim Virani will continue overseeing the club’s day-to-day activities while the board considers its future structure.
Sullivan became joint chairman alongside his late business partner David Gold after completing the takeover of West Ham in 2010. Following Gold’s death in 2023, Sullivan became the club’s largest shareholder with a 38.8 per cent stake.
During his time at the club, West Ham secured promotion to regular Premier League status, moved from Upton Park to the London Stadium in 2016, and won the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2023.
However, fan unrest increased during the recently concluded campaign, with supporters staging protests against the club’s leadership before relegation was confirmed. Former vice-chair Baroness Brady also stepped down from her role in April.