Karren Brady told concerned fan groups there was “no investigation involving West Ham United” despite David Sullivan being suspended from attending women or academy fixtures because of a Football Association safeguarding inquiry.Brady, Sullivan’s long-term friend and associate, dismissed enquiries from supporters, stating that “she could not offer any comment or guidance about unverified speculation or accusations that had nothing to do with West Ham”.Her comments were made via email in January, in her capacity as West Ham’s vice-chair. She was responding to questions from the club’s fan advisory board (FAB), which contacted Brady, known as Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge after receiving a life peerage from the Conservative Party in 2014, out of concern about widespread online speculation linking West Ham to a police investigation.Brady played down those concerns but, in reality, Sullivan was not only the subject of police investigations but also at the centre of an FA safeguarding inquiry, launched in 2023. The sport’s governing body told The Athletic in 2024 that it was to investigate “allegations and concerns about (unnamed) individuals who may pose a risk of harm to children and adults in football.”Legal reasons meant neither Sullivan nor West Ham could be named publicly at the time. However, it was sufficiently well known throughout the football industry for West Ham’s FAB to contact Brady in December 2025 and January 2026 to pass on the supporters’ concerns.The FAB subsequently released a statement in February to summarise its communications with Brady and other club executives.“The club has informed us that ‘there is no investigation involving West Ham United’ and ‘the club does not comment on unverified media reporting or speculation.’ We will reflect that position accurately and in full when responding to supporters.”Sullivan, 77, is accused of being a sexual predator who abused his position in the tabloid newspaper industry. He announced on Saturday that he was stepping down from his vice-chair position at West Ham to apply his “full energy and attention” to fight what he described as “factually inaccurate and entirely false allegations” from a number of former models who allege he demanded sex from them, in return for furthering their careers, while he was in charge of the adult-themed Daily Sport and Sunday Sport newspapers.According to a joint investigation by the BBC and The Times, eight women have contacted the police. Sullivan, who made his wealth through the porn industry and served time in prison in the 1980s for living off the earnings of prostitutes, never faced any charges and denies any wrongdoing.Brady has also left the club, announcing her departure on April 21 with five games of the season to go and West Ham in the middle of a relgation battle. She has employed Carter Ruck – a legal firm favoured by wealthy celebrities – to deal with media inquiries.Her departure came at a time when West Ham were likely to have been aware of widespread industry speculation the BBC and the Times had been conducting a joint investigation into Sullivan’s alleged behaviour and the Panorama documentary was being put together for broadcast.However, when asked if the timing of her departure was impacted by the imminent revelation of the claims against Sullivan, Brady’s legal representatives did not comment other than to say that “the allegations which have been made against Mr Sullivan in a personal capacity do not relate to our client.”Sullivan, meanwhile, says it is not true that he has been the subject of a “disciplinary ban” from West Ham women or academy games, stating that it has been “inaccurately described” in media reports.In a statement to The Athletic, Sullivan argued that it was “a negotiated and temporary agreement with the FA… until the FA resolved an outstanding complaint in relation to a single anonymous complaint regarding an event in 1981. The complaint had nothing to do with my time in football and it never happened. I saw it as a meaningless restriction, as it didn’t impact on my work in any way, therefore I accepted it for a quiet life.” He also said the suspension had little practical impact as he did not interact with the women’s or youth teams in any case.Brady began her association with Sullivan at the age of 23 when he appointed her as the managing director of Birmingham City, his first football club. She has worked alongside him ever since while also being championed as a powerful voice for women’s rights, not least as the author of a book called ‘Strong Woman: The Truth About Getting To The Top.’She is best known for her role as Alan Sugar’s aide on the flagship BBC television show The Apprentice and took a prominent role in November 2025 when West Ham became the first Premier League club to become an accredited employer by White Ribbon UK, a charity seeking to end male violence against women and girls.Karren Brady with fellow Apprentice stars Alan Sugar and Nick Hewer (Dave M. Benett/Getty Images)“We are committed to creating a culture where harmful behaviour is called out, the impact of men’s allyship and upstanding behaviour is recognised and encouraged and where anyone experiencing violence or abuse feels able to come forward,” Brady said at the time.The Athletic contacted Brady for comment on all these matters and asked her what she knew and when about the claims against Sullivan. In response, her lawyers repeated that the claims “do not implicate or relate to her in any way” and added that “for reasons you will appreciate, our client cannot comment on the FA investigation.”On Tuesday, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, said that she expected “a full and urgent explanation from the FA and West Ham as to how these incredibly serious allegations have been handled.”On Wednesday, The Athletic revealed that Boyle Sports had become the first of West Ham’s commercial partners to express concern over the allegations against Sullivan. The Irish bookmaker, the club’s front-of-shirt sponsor last season, said it supported the Independent Football Regulator’s move to seek “urgent information from David Sullivan relating to his suitability under our Owners, Directors and Senior Executives regime.”The IFR, introduced through the 2025 Football Governance Act, now oversees its own Owners, Directors and Senior Executives (ODSE) regime for clubs across the Premier League and EFL and has the power to expel any figures it considers unsuitable. Included are “honesty and integrity” assessments of owners.