A row has broken out between World Sailing and Sailing Illustrated, the American on-line sailing news show.
World Sailing (WS) President Kim Andersen accused Sailing Illustrated presenter Tom Ehman of publishing false statements about the WS financial position, on the 18 February show.
Andersen apparently informed the World Sailing board that Ehman had mentioned WS Vice-Presidents, Gary Jobson and Scott Perry, as the source of the information indicating that WS had financial problems.
Andersen then drafted a letter which he urged Gary Jobson and Scott Perry to sign.
This they refused to do, as they wanted to review the programme content first.
But . . . the letter was sent to Ehman with Jobson and Scott Perry’s electronic signatures attached, without their permission.
Scott Perry then followed that letter with his own letter to Tom Ehman, ‘apologising for the sad confusion’ in the unapproved letter, and accepting that the Scott mentioned on the programme was Scott Macleod and not himself, Scott Perry.
Tom Ehman denies discussing the WS financial situation with either Gary Jobson or Scott Perry.
This seems to be another ‘foot in mouth’ incident for the beleaguard President of World Sailing, who is facing an election at the end of his four-year term at the General Assembly, in October 2020.
Kim Andersen’s position is surely untenable if this latest unnecessary action is confirmed and he should stand down immediately.
It really is time for World Sailing to get its act together, and the sooner the better.
Sailing, the sailors and the many hard working WS members deserve better than this.
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