Stakes rise in USA Olympic conflict

While USA athletes need to focus on preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the legal conflict concerning the US Olympic Sailing Program between US Sailing and financial supporter AmericaOne rages on. Here’s an update issued by AmericaOne on January 30, 2024:

US Sailing Continues To Pursue Frivolous Actions Against its Largest Donors
Doubling down on its January 16, 2024 lawsuit against AmericaOne Racing and three individuals, US Sailing demonstrated its desperate and irresponsible behavior – this time, using its own internal disciplinary body and also leaking an internal USOPC report in an attempt to discredit Paul Cayard, Bill Ruh, and its largest financial supporter, AmericaOne.

Once again, let’s be very clear about the facts:
• The report that the US Sailing President is relying upon is neither objective nor independent. For example, one of the primary allegations in the report is that Cayard and Ruh influenced donors, including lead corporate sponsor Kilroy Corp., to leave US Sailing. This is demonstrably false. The report itself is based on a flawed interview process devoid of donor input. Donors make their own decisions on where to send charitable funds. The donors that Ruh and Cayard brought to US Sailing contributed based on their confidence in the performance team that was in place at the time. When Cayard and his team were forced out of US Sailing, logically, many donors left as well.

• US Sailing’s defense of its allocated overhead charges as a “fair and appropriate share of expenses for operational services” should also raise concern. US Sailing spreads membership revenue across every department except the Olympic department. Yet, US Sailing charges the Olympic department nearly seven figures to support its overhead and money-losing operations – meaning that unlike all other departments, the Olympic department must survive on its own revenue and then use donor-designated funds to pay US Sailing’s bloated overhead. This practice is indefensible to donors, and has harmed American athletes for more than two decades.

• Finally, US Sailing asked its internal Review Board to hold a hearing to discipline Cayard and Ruh for the unfounded charges. Because US Sailing violated its own rules in at least seven instances, the Review Board was forced to dismiss the case and notify the parties on January 20, 2024. However, in dismissing the case, US Sailing took the unethical step of passing judgment on a case they did not hear. In another display of clandestine and unethical conduct, US Sailing stated that they could have proven the charges. This statement was made without a hearing, nor any evidence or testimony from witnesses.

Rather than embracing AmericaOne’s significant support for sailor athletes, the US Sailing Board is harming American athletes during their Olympic Trials and just months before the Paris Olympic Games. US Sailing’s claims against AmericaOne instead expose stunning mismanagement and a misuse of resources.

To read the legal filings in this matter, click here.

Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Program*:
Men’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 7 (41)
Women’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6 (41)
Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 470 (19)
Men’s Skiff – 49er (20)
Women’s Skiff – 49erFX (20)
Men’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class (20)
Women’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class (20)
Men’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL (24)
Women’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL (24)
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17 (19)
* Quota per event in parenthesis but does not include Universality Places (2 men, 2 women)

Venue: Marseille, France
Dates: July 28-August 9

Details:
• Paris website: https://www.paris2024.org/en/the-olympic-games-paris-2024/
• World Sailing microsite: https://paris2024.sailing.org/