They have also revealed that they have reported a private investigator acting unlawfully, reportedly under instruction by Tottenham Hotspur, to the Metropolitan Police.

The inquiry was launched after it reported last month by The Sunday Times that Dionne Knight, the director of coporate services at the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC), had carried out consultancy work, in a potential conflict of interest, on behalf of West Ham.

Knight is the long-term partner of Ian Tompkins, who had spearheaded West Ham's move to the Olympic Stadium. 

Both are currently suspended pending the outcome of a separate investigation currently being conducted on behalf of the OPLC and which is expected to be concluded next week.

But West Ham claim that their inquiry has discovered that the integrity of the decision to make West Ham United the preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium was not affected.

"The club tasked external counsel from the highly prestigious Blackstone Chambers to conduct the in-depth process," they said in a statement.

"The inquiry was launched last month and considered the work undertaken by Dionne Knight on behalf of the club in relation to the procurement of a construction partner after the 2012 Olympic Games.

"It concluded firmly that Ms Knight's work had in no way affected the integrity of the joint West Ham United-London Borough of Newham bid which was approved by the Olympic Park Legacy Company.

"The findings - which completely exonerate the club over the matter and showed it acted lawfully at all times - came after the consideration of all relevant correspondence and documentation, along with statements from all relevant officials.



"The barrister had total and unfettered access to all emails and other documents sent and received, along with any information required.

"The report found no confidential information was passed by the OPLC to West Ham United through Ms Knight.

"Similarly, it found that no person at the club has at any point considered themselves to have an improper source of information or influence within the OPLC.

"With regard to Ms Knight, by far the bulk of the invoiced work took place after the decision of the OPLC to confer preferred bidder status and consisted of the transparent preparation of extensive procurement-related documentation.

"West Ham United have handed over the contents of the entire independent investigation to the OPLC as they are conducting their own separate inquiry into the matter."

Tottenham Hotspur, whose joint bid with entertainment giant AEG was beaten by West Ham, had already launched the process for a judicial review into the decision before the latest revelations.

Their original application was rejected but they are now appealing with a hearing expected later this month.

But their conduct in the affair is now set to come under the spotlight.

"West Ham remain in contact with Police with regard to the serious matter of a private investigator acting unlawfully, reportedly under instruction by Tottenham Hotspur," West Ham said in the statement.

"This matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness by the club, especially given the methods claimed to have been used to obtain this personal information in relation to reported breaches of the Data Protection Act as a result of the unlawful acquisition of bank and telephone records belonging to senior executives at the club and the OPLC.

"This activity, if proven, constitutes serious criminal conduct and can attract custodial sentences for perpetrators of the crime.

"In addition to the Police, the matter is also now in the hands of the Information Commissioner's Office, which investigates allegations of data protection offences."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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