Now the mud slinging gets personal

Alinghi arriving in Ras al Khaimah

A new low has been reach in the current war of attrition that has severely marred the America's Cup. The competition for all purposes has turned into a farce before anyone takes to the water as Team Oracle and Alinghi will be racing in two completely different types of boats.

Secondly the constant chatter of litigation and the statements from both sides stating each other oint of view show more glaring than ever that this competition cannot be run in it's current form.

If we look at other forms of competition, there is an organising authority. There is supposed to be AC Management, but they have neither displayed any control in managing this war of litigation and words nor have they shown any direction in trying to change the current format so we don't have another repeat of this farce in the future.

The lastest verbal missiles from each camp has brought the accusations down to a new low with Brad Butterworth stating personally that he believes Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts are looking to win cup in the courts and not on the water. Even though it might be true, it will only prove to stoke up the tension still further.

It's clear that other sports have their own governing bodies and authorities and anyone stepping out of line gets brought to heel. With the Americas Cup, there seems to be no-one taking control of competing teams and the result is that most years it ends up in law suits and statements in the press. We urgently need a sporting body to step up and take control of this competition as the longer this is allowed to continue uncontrolled, the more the sport suffers.

In what other major international sport do you have the competitors using their own lawyers to argues the rules? Why is the Americas Cup Management idly watching from the sidelines? It's a complete disgrace. Editor Phil Cox

The latest objection by Team Oracle Only Real "A" Class Lawyers Employed, centre around the choice of location by team Alinghi. Apparently the objection is for security purposes but looks more and more like the bulling of Team Oracle to get what they want.

It's time for the organising authority, if there is one, to step in now and take control of this rapidly deteriorating situation. It's clear that for one team, the sport doesn't matter and it's only the winning that matters.

Unfortunately for that team whilst that might be an often repeated phrase by coaches in sports all over the land, where is doesn't apply is when it starts to jeapordise you are competing in.

Let's hope we see a move quickly by a sporting authority with some bite, ISAF please wake up and take back control of the AC Competition as it's clear when left in the hands of the competitors the competition itself is the only loser.

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