Selection Games

TOBY HEPPELL considers how World Sailing’s new equipment selection rules for 2024 could cause problems for two classes

World sailing has announced an additional stage to its selection process for the Olympic Equipment (classes) to be used for sailing in the Olympic Games in 2024 and which initially looks as though it could have some significant ramifications for the Men’s and Women’s Singlehanded Dinghy and the Men’s and Women’s Windsurfer (Laser, Laser Radial and RS:X classes). All four of these are now up for review in the new selection process.

In essence the antitrust review process – as it is known – was born of a series of discussions and a final vote during the World Sailing Annual Conference in November 2017, where submission 013-17 was approved which listed a number of reasons for the antitrust process, the most salient being:

The rules of international federations which impose conditions or restrictions on the supply or use of equipment to be used in events must comply with the competition provisions of EU law (Articles 101 and 102 of the EU Treaty).

The rules governing which equipment can be used in Olympic events, and which suppliers are entitled to supply boats for Olympic events, have the potential to prevent/distort/restrict competition in the economic market. World Sailing must carefully monitor the market and the effect its decisions have.