Paul Cayard has announced his resignation as executive director of the U.S. Olympic Sailing Team.
Cayard told Associated Press that he couldn’t work under a restructuring of the Olympic team’s management.
He said he was informed just minutes before a board of directors meeting that he would be asked to focus on fundraising while someone else ran the team.
This continues the upheaval in US Olympic sailing organisation . . . Cayard was hired to replace Australian Malcolm Page, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who was forced out after less than three years on the job.
The United States once-dominant sailing squad failed to win a medal at the 2012 London Games or the 2020 Tokyo Games, taking just one bronze at the 2016 Rio Games.
The British sailing team overtook the USA with the most Olympic sailing medals – 64 – after winnig five medals at Tokyo, including three gold.
US Sailing President Richard Jepsen told Associated Press that “[Cayard] was offered the ability to continue to support the team by, among other things, providing valuable input into its direction and leading the important fundraising efforts.”
“He declined, and we respect his decision.”
Cayard, a San Francisco native is a seven-time world champion, seven-time America’s Cup competitor, has twice circumnavigated the world, becoming the first American to win the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1998. He was Rolex Yachtsman of the Year in 1998.
When appointed in March 2021 he said . . . “My contributions will be in painting the vision, leading the execution of that vision, and garnering support for that vision,” explained Cayard. “I will promote a culture of excellence, commitment, dedication, teamwork, professionalism, and ultimately satisfaction.”
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