Emirates Team New Zealand and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron are to cease all correspondence and any dealings with Mr Mark Dunphy and his associate Dr Hamish Ross, citing conflicted actions that they have refused to come clean on.
In an Emirates Team New Zealand press release on Wednesday that claimed to ‘Reveal Damning Details Behind The ‘Team Dunphy’ Bid‘ ETNZ stated that . . .
‘The actions of Mr Dunphy and Dr Hamish Ross clearly do not represent the best and honest intentions towards the RNZYS and Emirates Team New Zealand as they portray in their press releases and in public.’
The ETNZ reponse was to an earlier press release on Tuesday by Mr Dunphy stating that direct claims by Emirates Team New Zealand about his off shore dealings were ‘false’.
The latest ETNZ press release stated that . . . ‘despite both private and public requests for direct answers there has been nothing more than general sweeping press statements and an avoidance to directly answer our specific questions.’
ETNZ include details of an email (dated 26/8/21) to the Commodore of the NYYC from Dr. Hamish Ross with Mr Dunphy (both members of the RNZYS) in direct copy, lobbying the club to support the removal of the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes as the Challenger of Record.
And claims that . . . ‘The email clearly outlines their intentional lobbying of the NYYC to take legal action in the New York Supreme Court against the Challenger of Record with a purpose of intentionally disrupting the venue selection process.’
Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton commented,
“Emirates Team New Zealand is disappointed by Mark Dunphy’s underhanded and deceitful attempts to undermine the RNZYS, ETNZ and the RYS with his despicable actions. We gave him every opportunity to tell us himself, but he chose not to and as far as we are concerned this puts an end to a regrettable chapter in AC37.”
“We applaud Commodore Culver and the NYYC for wanting no part and rejecting Mr Ross and Mr Dunphy’s overtures.”
“The RNZYS is our representative club, we support them and I have no doubt the club will find this incredibly disappointing and will have their own process to deal with this situation.”
The ETNZ press release concludes . . . ‘Emirates Team New Zealand and RNZYS have decided to cease all correspondence and any dealings with Mr Dunphy based on clear evidence of his and his associate Dr. Hamish Ross’s conflicted actions that they have refused to come clean on.’
Earlier in this on-going row over financial support for the AC37 defence by ETNZ, Mark Dunphy had demanded that Dalton stand down as CEO of Emirates Team New Zealand, for his deal to go ahead.
In response an Emirates Team New Zealand group describing themselves as ‘long-term team members’ issued a strongly worded statement supporting Grant Dalton.
In the press release ETNZ request direct answers to questions that they claim have so far received nothing more than general sweeping press statements:
– Did you have a call with a member of the NYYC who is directly involved with the America’s Cup where you asked for their support to file an action in the New York Supreme Court to challenging the validity of Royal Yacht Squadron as Challenger of Record?
– Did you advise the NYYC member that you have the financial support of Ernesto Bertarelli and have also been communicating with Larry Ellison?
– Have you had any meetings with any persons who represent or could be deemed to represent a rival team intending to enter AC37?
– Was Hamish Ross representing you when he lobbied the NYYC via email to instigate an action in the New York Supreme Court?
Related Post:
37th America’s Cup – Can you spare a dime – someone, anyone?