History of America’s Cup arbitration

While the America’s Cup is intended to be a friendly competition between foreign countries, the pursuit of the prize tends to bring out the heat in people. In this report, Hesketh Henry provides the history of arbitrating the America’s Cup:

In 1970, after Australia was controversially disqualified in Race 2 of AC21, Sir Frank Packer “raged that protesting to the New York Yacht Club was like complaining to your mother-in-law about your wife”. Until then, the NYYC assumed the role of both competitor and referee in the America’s Cup.

Realizing this was no longer acceptable in modern sport, independent juries were subsequently appointed to resolve racing disputes. Even then, it took another 20 years until AC28 in 1992 before on-the-water umpiring was introduced…

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