Rogge
suggests reforms for the next Cup (13/12/02) (source
: NY
Times)
As a three-time sailing Olympian,
Jacques Rogge had an invitation to climb aboard the
Swiss yacht Alinghi during its semifinal race today,
taking on the role of 17th man against Oracle.
But like everyone else at the semifinals of the America's
Cup challenger series, Rogge, the president of the
International Olympic Committee, never left shore.
Gusting winds postponed the competition and left Rogge
feeling the frustration of many competitors.
"I understand the constraints put on themselves by
the challengers, who want to have a wind range that
would be closest to the February one," Rogge said,
alluding to the expected weather for the America's
Cup final in two months. "Nevertheless, it's a pity
to see these splendid boats can't sail in a 25-knot
breeze."
Rogge's passion and interest in the sport led him
to suggest radical changes at a candid news conference.
With legal maneuverings, accusations of stolen design
secrets and sailors ditching their homelands for more
money dominating much of the news coverage of the
America's Cup, Rogge recommended an overhaul of its
system.
"I think the America's Cup needs an independent, neutral
body that rules the organization," he said. "Today
we are in an ambivalent situation where the defender
tries to accumulate as many rights as possible, where
the challengers try to team up against the defender,
and I think you need an independent body that would
decide on format, on the dates, decide on the boats."
As it stands, the deed of gift, written in 1887 by
George Schuyler of the New York Yacht Club, is amended
every few years before the next America's Cup. The
protocol wrangled over and eventually agreed to by
the competitors — including boat designs, wind readings
for competition and the nationalities of sailors competing
for a foreign syndicate — is, in effect, the only
law governing the competition.
One of Rogge's main complaints was the defender rule,
which essentially guarantees that the next competition
will be held in the country that wins the Cup in February.
Team New Zealand, the defending champion, is guaranteed
a berth in the finals without having to compete in
any of the challenger series.
"Not to know today when the America's Cup will be
or where it will be held is not something you would
see in other sports organizations, because there the
calendar is set for a long time," he said. "For the
sport itself, it's maybe not that important. But for
sponsorship, for TV audience, to spread the popularity
of yachting to the world, it is vital to know where
to go and when to go."
"The other thing that I think would be welcome would
be to have a system where races wouldn't be postponed
or abandoned in winds that are considered a medium
breeze."
