Former West Ham co-chair Sullivan attends home game despite advice not to

David Sullivan, former co-chairman of West Ham United, attended a Carabao Cup match between his club and Portsmouth at London Stadium. The club had received advice to keep Sullivan away from home games due to safeguarding concerns, as he had been banned from contacting West Ham's women's and youth teams for three years. Sullivan resigned from his co-chair position in June following accusations of sexual exploitation and predatory behavior, claims he vehemently denies.

West Ham, relegated from the Premier League last season, are playing in the opening round of the EFL Cup for the first time in 15 years. The match against Portsmouth marked the first for the club since the allegations against Sullivan surfaced. A joint investigation by BBC Panorama and The Times had already found Sullivan banned from contact with West Ham's female and young players.

Despite his resignation, Sullivan remains West Ham's biggest shareholder, owning 38.8% of the club's shares. London Stadium informed BBC News that they had recommended Sullivan not attend, but there were no signs of unrest or issues inside the stadium before or after the match.