It is about the rules on unauthorised propulsion equipment and the ban on wearing weight waistcoats. Henderson has identified blatant violations, attributes these to increasing professionalisation and calls for more control.
According to racing rule 42, "...a boat in a race may only use wind and water to increase its speed...". Pumping, rolling, drifting or wrigging are prohibited with minor exceptions. Rule 43 prohibits the wearing of weight waistcoats that serve to increase the trim weight.
Paul Henderson has now realised that almost no-one in the Olympic boat classes adheres to this. In times when sailors receive money for their performances and the professional careers of coaches are more dependent on these performances than ever before, the limits of what is permitted are increasingly being exceeded.
Henderson has looked around at major regattas, most recently the Miami Olympic Classes Regatta and the Olympic Week in Hyéres. "I always walk around the boat park and talk to the sailors as they quietly take off thick jumpers and weighted life jackets. The cheating is rampant."
On the water, things are no better in terms of compliance with the propulsion rule. The situation is worst in the Star, Finn, Europe and Laser classes. Yngling is also a problem. In contrast, the Tornado and the 49er are exemplary, but only because not much can be achieved with unauthorised movements in these boat types.
The 470s have recently introduced a "yellow flag", with which offences are punished on the water, similar to the yellow card in football.
"I was shocked," says Henderson, "that the Starboat class allows their crews to stand in front of the mast and rock their boat downwind with very simple movements. Can't they simply control this by requiring that no crew member is allowed to be in front of the mast or stand on deck except for manoeuvres?"
The solution to the problems in the Finn, Europe and Laser classes was obvious in Hyéres. The Finn fleet was completely out of control and when asked how it was possible for a Canadian to drop from 5th to 25th place on one course, one of the top competitors replied: "You Canadians are too honest" (Henderson is Canadian).
When Henderson then looked at the course of the Lasers and Europes, he could hardly believe how strictly the rules were adhered to there after these fleets were also still out of control in Miami. The answer was simple. "Luciano Giacomi, 'The Hanging Judge'" (the executioner). "The sailors know," says Henderson, "when Luciano is on the course, he demands that they sail by the rules, and therein lies the challenge for the World Sailing Federation."
The ISAF is currently not equipped to monitor compliance with the rules on the water. It needs to establish a team of rules watchdogs for all major Olympic regattas. These would have to go out on the water in inflatable boats and hand out yellow cards as a warning and red cards as a disqualification for repeat offenders.
To prevent costs from exploding due to additional helpers, Henderson proposes reducing the size of the international protest jury from five to three members.
"Sailing at Olympic level is out of control," Henderson concluded in his statement on the ISAF website, "and the World Sailing Federation must act before sailing completely loses its reputation."
Henderson's article has caused a lively discussion among regatta sailors. The two medallists from Sydney, Mark Reynolds and Luca Devoti, have explained that they were only able to win because the jury in Sydney was militant and sailed strictly according to the rules. Other sailors are of the opinion that pumps and the wearing of weight waistcoats should be completely optional, that Olympic sailing is a top-class sport and that someone who does not have the necessary stamina for these energy-sapping accelerators does not have the right to win.
What is your opinion?
Should compliance with the rules be monitored more strictly?
Should propulsion equipment such as pumps, drifts or swings and the wearing of weight waistcoats generally be made optional?
