Defending champion Team Oracle USA was slapped with a two-point penalty Tuesday for illegally modifying catamarans in a cheating saga that has rocked the America’s Cup, the organizers announced.
The decision by the international jury to dock the Americans two points, ban three crew members and fine them $250,000 is one of the harshest in the 162-year history of sailing’s marquee event.
The Americans will now have to race without one sailor and two shore crew members in the 34th American’s Cup which gets underway on Saturday.
It also means Team USA must win 11 races to defend their title while their opponent Emirates Team New Zealand will need just nine wins in the best-of-17 format event.
“Today, the America’s Cup Jury announced that one Team USA sailor, our primary wing trimmer, and two shore crew have been excluded from further participation in the 34th America’s Cup,” Team Oracle USA said in a statement Tuesday.
The USA team said the violation took place in early 2012 and involved illegal changes to their AC45 boats and not the larger AC72 yachts used in the America’s Cup.
Team USA chief executive Russell Coutts said while they think the punishment is too harsh they will not appeal the penalties.
“The rules infractions involved only a few of our 130 team members, and were done without the knowledge of either our team’s management or the skippers who were driving the boats,” said Coutts.
“While we disagree with the unprecedented penalties imposed by the Jury, we have no choice but to make the necessary changes to personnel on our race boat and do our best to use the next four days for the new team to practice and get ready for the start of the 34th America’s Cup.”
The penalties are another black eye for the regatta which got off to a tragic start in May after British sailor Andrew Simpson died when catamaran Artemis Racing capsized during a training run.
Team USA docked two points, three banned
