West Ham owner David Sullivan is reportedly preparing to defy a recommendation from London Stadium bosses to stay away from home matches, citing concerns over potential fan unrest. The stadium operators had advised the club that Sullivan should not attend games following allegations of sexual misconduct made against him.

Sullivan, 77, was the subject of a BBC Panorama and The Times investigation earlier this year. The investigation alleged sexually exploitative and predatory behavior by the owner against seven women. Sullivan has denied any wrongdoing.

According to reports, London Stadium requested advance notice of any planned visits by Sullivan to implement further safety and operational measures. However, the billionaire businessman is expected to disregard this request and has informed the stadium of his intention to attend matches.

Sullivan stepped down as joint chairman of West Ham shortly before the Panorama investigation was broadcast, stating his desire to focus on refuting what he called "factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life." He remains the Championship club's largest shareholder.

The investigation also revealed that Sullivan has been prohibited from contact with the club's women's and youth teams for the past three years. This ban stems from safeguarding concerns after a historical allegation regarding his conduct was brought to the Football Association in 2023. Sullivan has denied this allegation, asserting that he has never met any academy or women's player individually during his 16-year tenure at West Ham.

A spokesperson for London Stadium confirmed that following media reports at the end of the previous season concerning a safeguarding matter being managed by the club, the stadium sought additional information to ensure its own safeguarding responsibilities were met. The club responded by stating that the matter had been investigated and that they did not consider there to be an ongoing safeguarding risk associated with Mr. Sullivan attending the stadium.

Despite the club's assurances, London Stadium upheld its recommendation for Sullivan to avoid attending games, citing the risk of "potential for demonstrations and anti-social behaviour by some spectators."

West Ham is scheduled to begin their season on Saturday, August 8, in the Carabao Cup against Portsmouth at the London Stadium.