Bring back the Biff

One thing I've thought all along is that if they ban him over the Olympics, they completely undermine the value of that competition as they did the worlds. If the best sailor isn't there, it is no longer a competition of the best in the world; it becomes a competition for who's second, and the gold medal loses its value. If he takes part and is beaten, he obviously isn't the best, but if he - almost certainly the best Finn sailor in the world - isn't present, it becomes a meaningless victory. Just another point to consider in a very difficult situation.

More here from an NA perpective http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/

Also, just a little thought, why is it that ISAF invest significant time, money and resources on producing the RRS to provide us with the framework to allow for safe and fair sailing only to discard one of the competitors' rights under these rules when it suits them?  Rule 62 is there to ensure that a competitor can seek redress if he  or she feels that their result has been affected by 'an improper action or omission of the race committee, protest committee or organizing authority' so it seems that ISAF have declared themselves above this basic right of 'fair sailing'.

Edited by rodney - 13 Dec 11 at 7:15am

Originally posted by rodney ...only to discard one of the competitors' rights under these rules when it suits them?

They probably suspect that if they didn't have that exception half the competitors would put in a redress claim if a press boat got within one mile of the race course, or a helicopter within three miles.

1. From the photos I have seen BA was more concerned with "talking" to the driver not the cameraman.

2 The SIs do not prevent the Race Committee or the Jury from requesting redress. They could have done so on the basis of a report from BA (see rule 60.3). Competitors in this event cannot request redress themselves, but that does not prevent them from making a report. By visiting the media boat himself BA forgo this option.

3. The Jury must make a report to the RYA (rule 69.1c). In view of the widely reported position of the RYA on the matter of dissent I believe that they will have little or no option but to take action against BA.

4. BA is a professional sportsman. Ultimately his career and lifestyle are funded by the images produced by the media. He has to accept that media involvement will change the sport and that highly mediatised events may be sailed in less than perfect conditions.

5. That said, there is a problem in that whilst sailors (and most of the Jury on the water) will spend much of their life in the context of elite racing, this may not be the case for the drivers of mediaboats. An argument could be made for insisting that boats allowed on the course should only be driven by experienced people actively involved in racing - as a National Judge and Umpire I would be happy to volunteer!

6. Finally, BA lost at most a place by the media boats actions. By his reaction he lost any chance of winning the regatta and may have lost the chance to sail in the Olympics. Let's hope he starts working with a sports psychologist to "tame his monkey".

Gordon