The Premier League soccer club Chelsea has quietly concluded a two-year investigation into allegations of a toxic workplace culture without disclosing the findings, according to three people with direct knowledge of the review.
The investigation, conducted by an outside lawyer, was prompted by accounts of workplace bullying in the team’s marketing department that The New York Times reported in 2022, shortly after the club was sold. The dysfunction and pressure in the office came under heightened scrutiny after the suicide of a well-liked former executive, Richard Bignell.
In a letter sent in the fall to people who were questioned in the inquiry, Chelsea hinted that investigators had discovered problems, but the club provided no details and acknowledged no wrongdoing. The letter, which The Times reviewed, listed only safeguarding steps that the team planned to take.
The club’s letter noted, “Rich’s absence remains deeply felt, and we are committed to ensuring that lessons are learned from his experience at the club,” adding, “We will ensure that every staff member is able to share concerns and have confidence that they will be heard and supported.”
Chelsea rejected witnesses’ calls to share details of the investigation, citing confidentiality, according to another document reviewed by The Times and the three people. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they still work in the soccer industry and feared damage to their careers.
“This was a robust, thorough process and necessarily confidential to protect the individuals who participated and were impacted,” a Chelsea spokeswoman said in a statement.
