Baroness Karren Brady, the former West Ham vice-chair and star of The Apprentice, has acknowledged she knew that the club’s co-owner David Sullivan was banned from contacting the women’s and youth teams because of safeguarding concerns – yet continued to work alongside him for three more years.
In her first response to a joint BBC Panorama and Times investigation, which accused Sullivan of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour, lawyers for Brady said she had “no knowledge” of the allegations themselves and was “not involved in, nor did she witness” any of the incidents reported. But she admitted being made aware that the Football Association had raised concerns about Sullivan when the FA contacted West Ham in July 2023, following a complaint about a historic allegation dating back to the 1980s.
“Baroness Karren Brady knew David Sullivan was banned from West Ham's women's teams but stayed for three years.”
Despite that knowledge, Brady remained at the club until stepping down abruptly in April this year, five games before the end of the season. Her lawyers defended the decision, saying she relied on “the principle of presumption of innocence in continuing to work at the club”. They denied any hypocrisy between her vocal support for women’s rights and working for a man perceived to present sufficient risk that he was prevented from contacting women and younger people at his own club. “There is no inconsistency or hypocrisy,” they wrote.
Sullivan, 77, has categorically denied all allegations against him. He resigned as a director and co-chair of West Ham last Saturday, before the publication of the investigation in which seven women accused him of abusing his power and preying on them for sex, claims dating back to the 1980s and 1990s. He remains the club’s largest shareholder, with a 38.8% stake.
The Football Association’s 2023 safeguarding investigation imposed restrictions on Sullivan’s access to West Ham’s women’s and youth teams. West Ham said “only a very limited number” of employees were informed of the measures, which Sullivan described as “meaningless and did not amount to a ban”, adding that he accepted them “for a quiet life”.
Now, a potential inquiry by the Independent Football Regulator – which has called the allegations “extremely serious” – has already faced a conflict of interest. Tara Warren, a non-executive director of the regulator, was an executive director of West Ham and its women’s team until December last year. The regulator confirmed she will not be involved in the inquiry into Sullivan to avoid any conflict. Warren, appointed by culture secretary Lisa Nandy in February, was a close ally of Brady.
The regulator has statutory powers to force a club owner to divest their shares if deemed unsuitable. With Sullivan still holding a near-40% stake, and Brady having admitted knowledge of the ban while defending her prolonged tenure, questions remain over how much the club’s hierarchy knew – and when.