West Ham to keep Olympic Stadium after bid investigation

An investigation into the West Ham’s winning bid for the Olympic Stadium has found no evidence the sale had been unduly influenced by an Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) employee who was doing freelance work for the winning bid.

On the strength of the investigation’s findings, the government and the Mayor of London have ruled there is “no grounds” to reconsider the controversial tender that saw Tottenham football club lose out to West Ham.

An independent investigation was ordered by the OPLC last month to examine suggestions that employee Dionne Knight had influenced the sale of the Olympic Stadium to West Ham after details of Knight’s relationship with West Ham director Ian Tompkins – a man involved in the bidding process - were printed in The Sunday Times. It further emerged that Knight had been paid £20,400 for consultancy work for West Ham while she was employed by the OPLC as the director of corporate services.

The investigation into malpractice – carried out by independent auditors Moore Stephens – today concluded there was “no evidence to suggest that this employee had access to confidential information relating to the stadium process”. The report further stated: “There is no evidence to suggest that she passed confidential information in relation to the stadium process to West Ham United FC or any other third party. There is no evidence to suggest that she influenced the stadium Preferred Bidder selection process.”

The OPLC stated in a press release today it would not make any further comment on the issue, which is due to be reconsidered for judicial review on Wednesday.