Emirates Team New Zealand announced this morning that security breaches have resulted in leaked information and defamatory accusations against their 2021 America’s Cup campaign.
The campaign has suspected a leak for six months, sweeping their base for bugs and testing firewalls for potential weaknesses in their security. Today, however, ETNZ has announced that unnamed persons within the campaign have been fired due to a connection with the leaks. The informants, according to a statement from the campaign, “have made highly defamatory and inaccurate allegations regarding financial and structural matters against ACE (America’s Cup Event Ltd), ETNZ, and its personnel.” The extent of the information leak isn’t yet known, but among the allegations against ETNZ are reports of using team finances to ship Managing Director Grant Dalton’s sports car to Australia, according to the New Zealand Herald.
Due to the seriousness of the allegations, the MBIE (New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment which oversees the America’s Cup proceedings) is investigating. Whether the leaks are from a malicious spy looking to defame ETNZ or a whistleblower uncovering misconduct in the Defender of the Record’s campaign is yet to be seen.
For the full statement from Emirates Team New Zealand, visit their website.
June 2020
