West Ham staff claims club will not sign African players anymore

Senegal forward Diafra Sakho left West Ham for Rennes in January

West Ham are investigating an allegation that a member of staff claimed it was club policy not to sign any more African players.

The Daily Mail claim to have been told that West Ham had put a hold on buying more African players because “when they are not in the team they cause mayhem”.

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“We take any allegations of discrimination extremely seriously,” read a club statement.

“We are in the process of ascertaining the full facts behind this accusation.”

A West Ham United staff has claimed that the club has a policy not to sign African players anymore

The club added all employees are trained on equality, diversity and unconscious bias and it is “an inclusive, respectful and diverse football club”.

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West Ham have six first-team squad members of African descent – Cheikhou Kouyate, Pedro Obiang, Joao Mario, Angelo Ogbonna, Arthur Masuaku and Edimilson Fernandes.

Senegal striker Diafra Sakho left the club in the January transfer window to join Rennes, with Ghana international Andre Ayew heading to Swansea.

West Ham are 12th in the Premier League, but only four points above the relegation zone.

The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United.

They moved to the Boleyn Ground in 1904, which remained their home ground for more than a century.

The team initially competed in the Southern League and Western League before joining the Football League in 1919.

They were promoted to the top flight in 1923, when they were also losing finalists in the first FA Cup Final held at Wembley.

In 1940, the club won the inaugural Football League War Cup.