OneWorld hits back

by OneWorld syndicate on 25 Nov 2002 OneWorld Response to the New York Yacht Club and Yacht Club Punta Ala’s submission to the America’s Cup Arbitration Panel

It is disappointing to see the perpetuation of these kinds of tactics by a few individuals which do nothing other than put this great event at risk of being completely derailed after the racing has already started.

The issues raised by the New York Yacht Club and Yacht Club Punta Ala are not new and have already been dealt with by the panel. Raising them will serve no purpose beyond galvanizing the Seattle team to fight and win on the water where yacht racing belongs.

OneWorld took the high road and did the right thing by admitting 18 months ago to inadvertent indiscretions when they were discovered.

We went through months of investigation and had a harsh but just penalty weighed against us. We paid our penalty and now we will rise above all of this while others choose to wallow in it.

We have the highest level of respect for the sailors on both of these teams and we are confident that like us, they prefer to settle issues on the race course. We look forward to the chance to meet them on the water and may the best team prevail.

There is a reason that books have been written about the history of unsportsmanlike conduct in the America’s Cup. The same characters and organizations continue to re-appear in the acts of skullduggery and underhandedness. This America’s Cup deserves better if it is to endure as the oldest and greatest sporting prize.