2 hours ago
A nonexecutive head of nan Independent Football Regulator (IFR) will not beryllium progressive successful nan enquiry into allegations of intersexual misconduct against David Sullivan to debar a conflict of liking complete her links to West Ham.
Tara Warren was executive head of West Ham and nan club’s women’s squad earlier joining nan shot regulator.
Sullivan announced his resignation arsenic a head and co-chair of West Ham past Saturday, earlier nan publication of a associated investigation successful which 7 women accused him of abusing his powerfulness and preying connected them for sex, successful claims that day backmost to nan 1980s and 1990s.
However, nan 77-year-old remains nan London Stadium club’s largest shareholder, pinch a 38.8% stake, and nan IFR is seeking clarity astir nan business earlier launching a imaginable investigation. English football’s regulatory assemblage has called nan allegations “extremely serious” and has been fixed statutory powers to unit a nine proprietor to divest their shares should they beryllium deemed unsuitable.
Sullivan has faced restrictions connected his interaction pinch West Ham’s women and younker teams since 2023 because of a safeguarding investigation by nan Football Association. He has described nan regularisation arsenic “meaningless and did not magnitude to a ban” and that he accepted it “for a quiet life”.
West Ham yesterday issued a connection saying that nan safeguarding measures followed nan club’s safeguarding policy, arsenic agreed pinch nan FA and nan section authority. The nine added that “only a very constricted number of West Ham United labor were informed of these measures”. The Guardian reported this week that nan women’s squad were now alert of nan restrictions imposed connected Sullivan.
Warren, who near nan nine past December, was appointed arsenic a head of nan women’s squad successful February 2023. She joined West Ham arsenic a trading head successful 2009 and became an executive head successful 2014. Warren was a adjacent state of Karren Brady, who stepped down arsenic West Ham’s vice-chair successful April.
Lisa Nandy, nan civilization secretary, appointed Warren arsenic 1 of 5 non-executive board of nan IFR successful February. The Guardian asked nan IFR and nan Department for Culture, Media and Sport astir a imaginable conflict of liking and if Warren’s erstwhile links pinch West Ham would spot her recused from immoderate investigation into Sullivan.
An IFR spokesperson said: “The IFR has robust policies and processes successful spot to guarantee immoderate interests that whitethorn conflict pinch nan responsibilities of committee members are known and managed accordingly. Where a committee personnel does person a conflict aliases perceived conflict of interest, they will beryllium recused from immoderate determination making domiciled relating to nan matter.”
Warren denies being alert of nan allegations made against Sullivan earlier their publication this week. Through his lawyers, Sullivan has denied nan allegations against him.
Sullivan is believed to beryllium unfastened to trading his stake. Daniel Kretinsky, West Ham’s 2nd largest shareholder, is willing successful taking a mostly stake. The Czech billionaire could do truthful by buying nan Gold family’s 25% stake.
