Brighton ban Guardian from stadium over reporting on Tony Bloom.

• Reporters and photographers barred from Amex Stadium
• Guardian says reporting is in the public interest

Brighton & Hove Albion have banned the Guardian’s reporters and photographers from attending matches at the Amex Stadium after the newspaper reported on charges against the Premier League club’s owner, Tony Bloom.

On Sunday, the club informed the Guardian that it considered it “would be inappropriate for journalists and photographers from the Guardian to be accredited to matches at the Amex, starting with Sunday’s game against West Ham”.

The decision comes after stories in the Guardian prompted MPs to interrogate Bloom, a millionaire who gained his money from gambling.

The Guardian reported last week that Bloom, Brighton’s largest shareholder, is being sued in a case alleging that “frontmen” were occasionally used when his gambling syndicate made wagers on sporting events.

The information were revealed in a public document filed at the High Court in London, which listed George Cottrell, a close ally of Reform party leader Nigel Farage, as one of the individuals who operated as a front for the collective known as the Starlizard Betting Syndicate.

The case centres on a dispute between Bloom and Ryan Dudfield, a former partner who says he is owed a share of gambling revenues.

According to the paper, the syndicate’s winnings total around £600 million per year. Bloom has yet to file a defence in the lawsuit.

He did not respond to The Guardian’s inquiry on the claim. Lawyers representing Cottrell were sought for comment.

On Friday, the Guardian published a second report alleging Bloom was an anonymous gambler who won $70 million (£52 million), including bets on his football teams.

Bloom declined to comment on this specific issue, but a source stated that he denied betting on his own teams or tournaments involving them, calling any such charges as “entirely false”. Bloom issued a public statement through Brighton FC after the Guardian piece was published, saying:

“I can categorically assure our supporters that I have not placed bets on any Brighton & Hove Albion matches since becoming the owner of the club in 2009.” MPs have stated that these issues need to be thoroughly investigated.

Clive Betts, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on football, stated on Friday that the Football Association needed to conduct “a thorough and comprehensive investigation”. Former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith stated:

“The FA must be much more transparent about their lax policy concerning the use of gambling money in the running of their clubs.”

A Guardian spokeswoman stated, “It is a worrying development that Brighton has imposed this ban.” Our work generated questions in the public interest, which we pursued responsibly.”

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