West Ham Co-Chairman Quits Ahead of 'Historic Allegations' to be Made Against Him

LONDON (AP) — West Ham joint-chairman David Sullivan stepped down on Saturday ahead of what the English soccer club called "historic allegations" to be made against him by British media.

Sullivan was "made aware of the impending publication of serious historic allegations," West Ham said.

The BBC said later Saturday that the broadcaster and the Times newspaper were due to publish a joint investigation into Sullivan's "behavior." The BBC said its story will run on Monday.

West Ham said it "understood none of the allegations relate to West Ham United or any of its operations."

The east London club added that Sullivan denied any wrongdoing but decided to step down to "avoid disruption" to the club while he handles the undisclosed matter "privately."

It gave no further information on what the allegations could be or who would make them.

West Ham also separately published a statement from Sullivan, where he said he was planning to sue the BBC and other media for libel.

Sullivan said he became aware of "factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life due to be broadcast and published."

Sullivan, 77, published porn magazines and films in the late 1970s and 1980s.

"After a lifetime spent building businesses in the adult industry in which I have met thousands of women, it is sadly inevitable that a small number of improper conduct claims are being made against me. I categorically deny these claims," he said.

"None of these allegations relate to my more than 30 years in football."

Sullivan got involved in soccer when he bought into Birmingham City in 1993. He left in 2009 and a year later bought a stake in West Ham.

West Ham was relegated from the Premier League this season.

The club said interim CEO Karim Virani would continue to manage the club's daily operations.

West Ham was already dealing with the exit of vice chair Karren Brady in April.

David Gold, co-chairman of West Ham, was Sullivan's long-time business partner dating to his beginnings in adult entertainment and his ventures into soccer ownership. He died in 2023.