Chelsea sack senior executive Damian Willoughby after claims of sexual harassment over messages

Chelsea have sacked their industrial director lower than a month after using him after it emerged that he had despatched ‘inappropriate messages’ earlier than he joined the membership.

The west London facet confirmed that they’d terminated the contract of Damian Willoughby ‘with fast impact’ after they had been made conscious of the content material of the messages.

Willoughby was in his second spell at Stamford Bridge having additionally labored for Manchester Metropolis and EA Sports activities. He took a key position, with Chelsea’s new US homeowners seeking to maximise off-the-field income.

Nonetheless, Willoughby has now departed after lower than 4 weeks with the membership. A Chelsea assertion learn: ‘Chelsea Soccer Membership confirms that it has terminated industrial director Damian Willoughby’s employment with fast impact.

‘Proof of inappropriate messages despatched by Mr Willoughby, previous to his appointment at Chelsea FC earlier this month, has not too long ago been offered to and investigated by the membership. 

‘Whereas they had been despatched previous to his employment on the membership, such behaviour runs completely counter to the office surroundings and company tradition being established by the membership’s new possession.

Chelsea have sacked their industrial director Damian Willoughby after lower than a month

The Blues confirmed that they’d terminated Willoughby’s contract with fast impact

‘The membership’s homeowners are working tirelessly to set and obtain the very best requirements each on and off the pitch, and are decided to ascertain and nurture a tradition of transparency, accountability, inclusivity, range and alternative. 

‘The membership is dedicated to creating an surroundings which embodies these values.’

Kim is claimed to have made a grievance to the Blues president of enterprise Tom Glick, who employed Willoughby, to say that she had been sexually harassed earlier than his employment by the membership and alleges she felt threatened over the phone.

Kim held talks with Glick, who turned the primary appointment of the brand new Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital homeowners in July, on behalf of abroad traders who wish to pump tons of of thousands and thousands of kilos into the membership’s mens’, womens’ and academy groups.

Chelsea homeowners Todd Boehly and co are working tirelessly to attain new excessive requirements 

These talks, nonetheless, have stalled since Glick added Willoughby, who he labored with at Manchester Metropolis, to the negotiations that prompted Kim to boost her considerations about his inclusion.

Kim offered Glick with a sequence of messages that had been despatched final yr by Willoughby wherein he requested her if she was bare, introduced up the topic of getting intercourse, posted an alleged sexually specific video and advised he would organize a gathering with Metropolis chief government Ferran Soriano if she was prepared to be ‘naughty’, in line with Telegraph Sport.

The messages are mentioned to have change into indignant after Kim rejected a proposal from Willoughby to assist fund a bid to purchase Chelsea that was anticipated to rival the bid of Todd Boehly and Clearlake.  

Catalina Kim (pictured) offered a sequence of messages that had been despatched from Willougby final yr

Kim as an alternative offered funding for over 40 per cent of Nick Sweet’s bid, which she later withdrew, after which a Sir Martin Broughton-fronted proposal that made the ultimate three.

Kim and Willoughby first met again in 2015, when the latter was vice-president – head of partnership gross sales for the Metropolis Soccer Group, the secure of golf equipment together with Manchester Metropolis, who she had been working with on varied offers.

The president of enterprise Glick is claimed to have knowledgeable Kim through an electronic mail on August 29 that Willoughby would change into the Blues new industrial director and arrange a gathering between the trio that happened simply two days later.

Kim raised her considerations with Glick over the involvement of Willoughby after that first assembly, initially surrounding his try to boost funding as a part of a bid to purchase Chelsea. 

The Telegraph report believes she alleges this prompted an indignant telephone name from Willoughby.

Kim then forwarded Glick eight screenshots of messages of a sexual nature, together with the alleged sexually specific video, on September 3 – two days earlier than Willoughby’s official begin date at Chelsea.

She then made a grievance after Willoughby began working for Chelsea and talks have since stalled over her proposed funding undertaking. 

Chelsea workers had been knowledgeable of Willougby’s sacking through an inner memo this morning. 

There isn’t a remark from Damian Willoughby on the time of publication.