Should Ainslie have been disqualified?

[Rum_Pirate]

Was Ainslie's incident so bad that he deserved to be disqualified for something that took place AFTER the event had finished?

Before voting, consider then that if it is applicable then the cricket, rugby etc teams could also be disqualified for behaviour AFTER a match has finished.

Royal Yachting Association Olympic manager Stephen Park says Ben Ainslie's altercation at the World Championships in Australia was "regrettable".

The 34-year-old had been involved in an argument with officials on a media boat after he felt he was impeded by the wash the boat had created.

Ainslie was later suspended for "gross misconduct" but Park says lessons should be learnt from the incident.

"His behaviour was regrettable," Park told BBC Radio Solent.

"It is something he is embarrassed about now and wishes hadn't happened."

AINSLIE'S OLYMPIC HISTORY
Continue reading the main story
2008 - gold (Finn)
2004 - gold (Finn)
2000 - gold (Laser)
1996 - silver (Laser)

The disqualifications meant it was the first time in the regatta Ainslie had not finished in the top three.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/sailing/16399097.stm

Consider then that if it is applicable then the cricket, rugby etc teams could also be disqualified for behaviour AFTER a match has finished.

 

[Rum_Pirate]

From other thread - now discontinued

Yes

No

Yes.

 

[Thistle]

Yes. See RRS Rule 2.

 

[Rum_Pirate]

Yes. See RRS Rule 2.

Could you post an site address for those of us that do not have it?

 

[sailor211]

Media boats should not be allowedvto impede boats and affect the result.
To loose because of a press boat is not going to please anyone.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I've not unfortunately been a racer, but it seems a rediculous set of affairs to me.

If there was a cause for concern it should be first and foremost the reason why interferance was caused by any launch filming or officiating in a race.

Surely the apologies should be from those impeding/causing the interferance? What on earth good are the RYA in this instance if they don't support our team members and come out guns blazing?

How many launches are going to be making a cock-up of the races in this summers olympics?

Olympics....' bah, humbug!'

 

[st599]

Could you post an site address for those of us that do not have it?

FAIR SAILING A boat and her owner shall compete in compliance with recognized principles of sportsmanship and fair play. A boat may be penalized under this rule only if it is clearly established that these principles have been violated. A disqualification under this rule shall not be excluded from the boat’s series score

 

[photodog]

I've not unfortunately been a racer, but it seems a rediculous set of affairs to me.

If there was a cause for concern it should be first and foremost the reason why interferance was caused by any launch filming or officiating in a race.

Surely the apologies should be from those impeding/causing the interferance? What on earth good are the RYA in this instance if they don't support our team members and come out guns blazing?

How many launches are going to be making a cock-up of the races in this summers olympics?

Olympics....' bah, humbug!'

He should have launched a appeal in regards to the interference...

What he shouldnt have done is jump off his boat..climb onto the camera boat... push around the cameraman and shout the odds.

He shouldnt have expressed himself by instigating a physical confrontation...

There is no room in sport for behaviour like this... he's a professional and should deal with it as such.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

He should have launched a appeal in regards to the interference...

What he shouldnt have done is jump off his boat..climb onto the camera boat... push around the cameraman and shout the odds.

He shouldnt have expressed himself by instigating a physical confrontation...

There is no room in sport for behaviour like this... he's a professional and should deal with it as such.

Sounds to me that you've never been in the position as an athlete or coach of an athlete in such a position. To keep calm when impeded is not quite as easy as you seem to make out.

"there is no room in sport for behaviour like this".

Too right, the launch driver should be banned from the regatta and any officials with the launch!

Is the RYA making a stink to get to the bottom of the problem that caused such a high profile sportsman, (who obviously knows full well that he has been impeded), to lose his cool?

If not it strikes me that the RYA are a load of 'pansies' and should stand up and voice big objections to support all those competitors, not just the one, to endeavor to get fair play..

 

[photodog]

Sounds to me that you've never been in the position as an athlete or coach of an athlete in such a position. To keep calm when impeded is not quite as easy as you seem to make out.

"there is no room in sport for behaviour like this".

Too right, the launch driver should be banned from the regatta and any officials with the launch!

Is the RYA making a stink to get to the bottom of the problem that caused such a high profile sportsman, (who obviously knows full well that he has been impeded), to lose his cool?

If not it strikes me that the RYA are a load of 'pansies' and should stand up and voice big objections.

Professional sport is a regulated and officiated arena.. that the whole point of being a professional sport.

It matters not what the RYA are doing... what matters is how the sportsman behaved... and he went outside the regulated norms and took the law into his own hands..... he is a professional and shouldnt lose his cool.

His behaviour means that we are talking about him... not about the photoboat... if he had protested then we could have had a decent debate about the photoboat... but his behaviour has undermined that.

That why he should have kept his cool.. to keep the story were it should have belonged.

He should know a lot better. He's an adult.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Professional sport is a regulated and officiated arena.. that the whole point of being a professional sport.

It matters not what the RYA are doing... what matters is how the sportsman behaved... and he went outside the regulated norms and took the law into his own hands..... he is a professional and shouldnt lose his cool.

His behaviour means that we are talking about him... not about the photoboat... if he had protested then we could have had a decent debate about the photoboat... but his behaviour has undermined that.

That why he should have kept his cool.. to keep the story were it should have belonged.

He should know a lot better. He's an adult.

You arn't Sheldon from 'Big Bang Theory' are you?

 

[photodog]

"Sounds to me that you've never been in the position as an athlete or coach of an athlete in such a position. To keep calm when impeded is not quite as easy as you seem to make out."

Thats why professional sportsmen are paid the big bucks!

I am not saying its easy.... but I would rather sailing wasnt turned into a damp version of the NHL... Discipline needs to be upheld...

 

[photodog]

You arn't Sheldon from 'Big Bang Theory' are you?

 

[flaming]

Nothing like dragging up old news...

Under the rules Ben has absolutely no come back on the camera boat.

Not to condone his actions - but he had no way of rectifying the situation as he saw it.

Simply put - yes he should have been disqualified, there is no place for boarding another boat in this sport. The jury have acted absolutely properly, and so have the RYA and Ben in the aftermath, in accepting that he made a mistake, saying sorry and moving on.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Nothing like dragging up old news...

Under the rules Ben has absolutely no come back on the camera boat.

Not to condone his actions - but he had no way of rectifying the situation as he saw it.

Simply put - yes he should have been disqualified, there is no place for boarding another boat in this sport. The jury have acted absolutely properly, and so have the RYA and Ben in the aftermath, in accepting that he made a mistake, saying sorry and moving on.

What about the actions that caused the fracas?
Have the World and Olympic authorities put things in place to make sure it never happens again and the RYA led those who wish them to do so?

 

[SAWDOC]

He should have launched a appeal in regards to the interference...

What he shouldnt have done is jump off his boat..climb onto the camera boat... push around the cameraman and shout the odds.

He shouldnt have expressed himself by instigating a physical confrontation...

There is no room in sport for behaviour like this... he's a professional and should deal with it as such.

That sounds right. Still, if it was up to me i woud not have disqualified him.

 

[Reverend Ludd]

He broke the rules therefore I guess he had to be banned.
Bit like a Football player, sometimes all agree a Red Card was fair.

 

[viago]

seems to me that a competitive person was being competitive.
no head-butt = controlled aggression = doing what winners do. no problem.

 

[Lakesailor]

If he twatted the cameraboat driver he can be pretty certain no camera boat will upset him again.

Acceptable damage from his point of view.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Fine him.
Ban him.
Shoot him.
Whatever.

But, do not disregard the result. The race was over.

If you don't like his actions, restrict his future, but to punish the past is childish.