The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) council last month reaffirmed its decision not to include a modern high performance dinghy for women, the expulsion of the multihull event and the introduction of a match racing format for the women’s keelboat event.

 

The Royal Yacthing Association (RYA) were among those who lobbied ISAF and fellow governing bodies around the world, believing that the decisions were not in the best interests of the sport.

 

Yatching Australia today condemned the decision and issued a stark warning about what the consequences could be.

 

Yachting Australia chief executive Phil Jones, who sat on both the ISAF's events committee and council, said: "We got very close, particularly on the Multihull issue.

 

"The issues were very simple as we saw them.

 

"Firstly, we consider that the last minute change to the voting process in November may have affected the outcome.

 

"This change saw the multihull eliminated from the 2012 Olympics despite securing more than 50 per cent of the vote around the council table.

 

"Just on this basis, we think the matter should have been reconsidered.

"Secondly the strategic question for ISAF is not whether the sport of sailing is under threat in the Olympic Games in the short term but rather if the decisions that were made in November 2007 on the 2012 Olympic events strengthened or weakened our position, as a sport in the Olympics, into the future.

 

"Sailing currently sits 26th out of 28 on the ladder of hours of broadcast from the Summer Olympic Games.

 

"Ticket revenues for our sport are around one-quarter of one percent of the total from the Olympic Games.

 

"If any sport needs strengthening, it is ours.

"In 2005 ISAF told the IOC that, 'With a view to presenting its sport in a more interesting and attractive manner, the ISAF has taken the following steps….Equipment innovation introducing faster and more spectacular boats.'

"In 2007 we then remove the multihull discipline and fail to introduce a women high performance dinghy.

 

"On any measure, we have not strengthened our position.

 

"Given the support that sailing receives around the world as a result of our inclusion in the Olympic Games, we only hope that this is not a decision we live to regret.

"This has been an extremely difficult period for the sport.

 

"Personal attacks on those involved have been very damaging.

 

"There is no place for this sort of behaviour in sport. It is now time to move on.

 

"The ISAF council has had the opportunity to reconsider the decision it took last November.

 

"Despite a majority not being happy with it, the numbers as required under the ISAF Regulations to make a change were simply not there.

 

"No more could have been done

 

"There needs to be a clear strategy against which ISAF makes these decisions.

 

"It should not only address the Olympic Games but should also extend to our youth and development pathways.

 

"We will be making submissions to ISAF for consideration this November to ensure such a strategy is in place as soon as possible. We will certainly be contributing to it.

"Yachting Australia welcomes the introduction of a multihull commission within ISAF.

 

"Multihulls are very much part of the sailing community.

 

"Multihull sailing is everywhere - strong international classes, extreme 40s, ccean speed records, the beaches in most resorts and even the America's Cup.

 

"A key strategy for Yachting Australia has been and will remain the development youth sailing in all its aspects.

"We shall be working with the newly formed Australian multihull council to look how we build interest in multihull into the future and at the same time working to ensure the multihull remains firmly on the ISAF agenda."