SportFootballDavid SullivanDavid Sullivan has stepped down from his role as joint-chairman and director of West Ham after being made aware of the impending publication of 'serious historic allegations' which he denies17:26, 06 Jun 2026Updated 17:26, 06 Jun 2026West Ham midfielder Mohamadou Kante has issued a statement in support of David Sullivan after he stepped down as the club's joint-chairman and director.‌Sullivan took the decision on Saturday after being made aware of the impending publication of 'serious historic allegations' which he denies.‌West Ham said in a statement: "It is understood none of the allegations relate to West Ham United or any of its operations.‌"Through his own legal representatives Mr Sullivan denies any illegal conduct and has taken the decision to step down in order to avoid disruption to the club while he addresses the matter privately."The 77-year-old had held the role of joint-chairman at West Ham for 16 years, having completed a takeover of the club in 2010 alongside his former business partner David Gold.Kante joined West Ham from Paris FC in August 2024 on a five-year contract. The 20-year-old has made 14 appearances for the first team so far and has decided to speak out in support of Sullivan.‌"In a period like this, I wanted to send a personal message to David Sullivan," the Frenchman wrote on Instagram. "When I went through difficult times at the beginning of my career, he was one of the few people to trust me. He believed in me, supported me with patience and respect, and it meant a lot to me."I can only talk about the man I knew and the help he gave me at an important moment in my life. I respect the work of justice and I have confidence that the truth will be established by the competent authorities.‌"In anticipation of this, I simply wanted to show him my human support and tell him that my thoughts are with him and his family in this particularly difficult time."In a statement, Sullivan said: "I have recently become aware that factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life are due to be broadcast and published. The false allegations levelled against me have been sensationalised by the media."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. I am a private man, and those who personally and professionally know the real David Sullivan, not the caricature invented by the tabloids, know exactly who I am and what I stand for. I am absolutely not the person the media has decided to paint me as.Article continues below"I have not been provided with any proper explanation as to how these individuals or their claims were independently verified or assessed for credibility prior to publication. I believe that the entire process has been fundamentally unfair and completely lacking in any due impartiality."Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌David SullivanWest Ham United FC