AmericaOne Foundation has released a statement in response to US Sailing’s lawsuit alleging harmful practices, describing the accusations as “unfathomable”.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, three high-profile departures from US Sailing last year — Paul Cayard, Bill Ruh and Jose Leandro Spina — were named in the lawsuit by the governing body for sailing in the United States.

The body’s complaint alleges actions that have “harmed athletes, the US Sailing Team, and US Sailing’s business and reputation with donors, sponsors, competitive sailors, and the larger sailing community and Olympic movement”.

However, AmericaOne’s response outlines what it says are the reasons behind Cayard’s and Ruh’s departures — and claims that any damage incurred by US Sailing by the withdrawal of donors and sponsors are of its own doing.

“Because donors contribute based on trust and confidence, when this team [of Cayard, Ruh and the coaching staff] resigned, it was no surprise that many donors withdrew their support and commitments,” it says.

The full statement is available on the America One Racing website HERE.

The governing body for sailing in the United States has filed a lawsuit against a competitor organisation for alleged harmful practices, as Marine Industry News reports.

US Sailing’s official complaint claims accuses America One Racing of attempting to misleadingly represent itself as the de facto governing body for sailing in the country.

America One Racing was founded as a development programme for competitive sailors following a series of high-profile departures from the US Olympic Sailing Programme last year — including executive director Paul Cayard, United States Sailing Foundation chairman Bill Ruh and performance Director Leandro Spina.

US Sailing has named all three in its lawsuit, alleging that their actions have “harmed athletes, the US Sailing Team, and US Sailing’s business and reputation with donors, sponsors, competitive sailors, and the larger sailing community and Olympic movement”.

The body alleges interference with its business relationships that have cost it more than $4 million in funding, and is seeking more than $5 million in damages.

Marine Industry News has more on the story HERE.