The America’s Cup Defenders, Emirates Team New Zealand, issued a statement overnight confirming that they have outed ‘Informants’ from the team.
They are accused of having revealed . . .
‘confidential and sensitive information’ and ‘made highly defamatory and inaccurate allegations regarding financial and structural matters against ACE, ETNZ and its personnel’.
No individual details are given but the statement mentions ACE, the America’s Cup Events part of ETNZ responsible for organising the AC36 onshore events.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment – the lead agency in staging the 36th America’s Cup next year – confirmed it was investigating claims relating to the organisation of the event.
The first ETNZ AC75 recently returned to New Zealand from Europe and has been reassembled in Auckland to return to full-time sailing ahead of the completion of their second AC75.
ETNZ statement – Auckland, New Zealand – 29 June 2020
Six months ago Emirates Team New Zealand and ACE (America’s Cup Event Ltd) became suspicious that we had informants in the event organisation (ACE), and these suspicions were confirmed when we had confidential and sensitive information coming back to us from Europe very recently.
The motives of the informants who had access to the Emirates Team New Zealand base can only be guessed at, at this stage.
In addition, these people have made highly defamatory and inaccurate allegations regarding financial and structural matters against ACE, ETNZ and its personnel.
These allegations are entirely incorrect.
As a result, the contract of the informants has been terminated.
Although these allegations are baseless, MBIE have no choice but to investigate despite our belief that the motives of the informants are extremely suspect.
We are working with MBIE to close out the remaining issues with them quickly.
Emirates Team New Zealand and ACE will not let this set us back in our America’s Cup defence or hosting of a great event this summer.
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