Let's save offshore racing at the 2024 Olympics
A bitter turnaround for ocean racing
It is with a bitter taste that we have just learned that there will probably not be any double-handed ocean racing at the Olympic Games in Marseille in 2024
Offshore racing was supposed to be a flagship and innovative event for the 2024 Olympics.
There was even talk of starting the Games with this event, which would be a great showcase for sailing in the world.
Now, the sports federations are facing a wall and 6 weeks to present to the IOC an alternative to offshore racing! But to present an alternative is to give up, to admit defeat. This is why the FFYB will block and will not present an alternative.
The FFYB is disappointed, stunned and angry at this ultimatum! We must save the 10th event in the program of the Paris-2024 Olympic Games but also the athletes who have invested body and soul for months to be at the top in this event so expected.
Moreover, the reasons for this about-face that threatens ocean racing are completely crazy; they fear for the safety of the participants, pirate attacks, television production costs and the complexity of promoting our sport. Wouldn't the new president of World Sailing, Li Quanhay, be anti-sailing?
Yet ocean racing has many advantages:
- An activity already followed by the general public and covered by the media.
- An event of long duration without being excessive
- An event easy to follow on social networks, even for the less experienced
- It is a mixed discipline that meets the recommendations of the IOC
- Two EUROSAF European Championships for double-handed offshore sailing have already been organized in 2019 and 2020 as well as a 1st World Sailing Championship in September 2021 (the 2020 edition having been cancelled following the COVID19)
- Since the announcement of World Sailing 3 years ago, the FFYB has worked and defended this project so that a crew is born. The Red Dolphins have made this their main goal. They have spent energy, time, money ... it is unacceptable.
The IOC committee should give a final decision by June 8. But all this is not going to save the ocean racing, it seems that the game is already over! This is why we must move and launch a tidal wave to make things happen.
The Federation does not admit defeat and will rally other federations to make their voices heard.
We will fight to keep ocean racing in the 2024 Olympics
Fédération Francophone du Yachting Belge Contact the author of the petition