Joe Fly innanför Barking Mad och Mascalzone Latino. Det var förspelet till den här rundningen, när Joe Fly kom in på babords layline, som diskuteras.

Giovanni Maspero, Joe Fly, har surat ihop efter Farr 40 VM. Hans läslag på Barking Mad var ingen stor sak för de inblandade, men Mascalzone hystade in en protest som gjorde att de vann regattan. Och här är juryns beslut.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwWkBk–W2E
Incidenten som det talas om kan ses 38 sekunder in i filmen.

Och här är juryns beslut.

The Farr40 Worlds finished just a few days ago. The winners, as everyone knows, were Mascalzone Latino, who win the competition for the third time in a row, a unique achievement reflecting the qualities of a team of yachtsmen.

Their victory came not at the finish line, on the water, but following a protest that the Mascalzone Latino Team made against us, the Joe Fly Team: a protest by a 3rd party that sees another boat, Joe Fly, allegedly commit an infringement against yet another boat, Barking Mad.

This is all part of the game I think. The anomaly is that the Jury called upon to decide has manifest conflicts of interest in respect of one of the teams involved.

Everyone knows that Tom Ehman, chairman of the adjudicatory committee, works for the American BMW Oracle team. Likewise Richard Slater, another member of the 2008 Farr40 Worlds jury. Another judge present, Henry Menin, worked for the OracleTeam in 2000. And John Kostecki, Mascalzone Latino’s tactician in Miami, the person who formally lodged and argued the case against Joe Fly, is also an employee of the BMW Oracle Racing. The close links between Mascalzone Latino and BMW Oracle Racing are common knowledge.

All this is too serious to pass over in silence. An analogy would be if Adriano Galliani, CEO of A.C. Milan, were also to chair a board of adjudicators in a case involving one of his own players against a player in another team ….

This is what makes the whole game something of a farce.

On this episode and our Team’s conduct in the race I can hardly believe what I’ve heard and read in the last few hours. Though I normally prefer a low profile, this time I cannot stay silent. I feel I have to speak out and defend the Team’s sporting conduct, our attitude and the loyalty which has always been our hallmark wherever we sail and in whatever Class.

Footage of the incident can be seen on various websites, each offering an opinion. I’m not an “expert” on the rules but I do know that Barking Mad – the boat directly involved – didn’t protest, didn’t raise any flag. Even more importantly in my opinion, there was no whistle from the jury on the water. Which we, at least, took to mean there was no infringement.

Owners invest a lot in developing this wonderful sport. They do it through healthy enthusiasm, because they love competitive sport. But they need certain guarantees.

This wasn’t possible in the 2008 Farr40 Worlds in Miami. The conflict of interest was too blatant.

This situation led us to reject the Jury’s decision, whether or not appeal is possible. And it leads me to undertake whatever action I can, in the interests of the Joe Fly Team obviously, but above all for everyone who invests in this sport, so that everyone may enjoy equal rights, safeguards and dignity.

On my own and my team’s behalf, my most sincere compliments to Vincenzo Onorato and his crew for their racing performance throughout these Worlds. We would have applauded them anyway because they deserve it, just as we were the first to do so last year in Copenhagen, as soon as we crossed the line. They’re winners and the facts prove it.

And my compliments once again to my own crew because, now more than ever, they rose to the occasion and not only as yachtsmen. Tears shed through disappointment can be as real and valuable as those shed in joy. My heart goes out to all the crew for their humanity.

Giovanni Maspero
Joe Fly Sailing Team