Kim Andersen hits back at critics

by Liam Morgan, insidethegames
World Sailing President Kim Andersen has hit back at his “disrespectful” critics after confirming he will seek a second four-year term at the helm.

Andersen told insidethegames he will stand for re-election during a vote which is set to be held later this year but remains in doubt because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Dane, who unseated incumbent Carlo Croce to become World Sailing President in November 2016, is facing at least one challenger after Spanish official Gerardo Seeliger announced he would run against Andersen last September.

It had been widely expected that Andersen would seek re-election but he had not publicly revealed his intentions.

The 62-year-old has faced widespread criticism in recent months owing to sailing’s financial situation, which vice-president Scott Perry told insidethegames was “precarious” and admitted had been made more acute by the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

A costly move of World Sailing’s headquarters from Southampton to London has also been the subject of denunciation from some sectors of the organization.

Andersen was dealt a blow after a package of governance reforms, which he urged Member National Associations to support, failed to pass at the Annual General Assembly in Bermuda in November.

Seeliger had told insidethegames last October that Andersen was facing “many problems”, but the Dane insisted the organization was moving in the right direction under his stewardship, citing growth in exposure and engagement, esailing and development in gender equality among his main achievements.

Andersen also shifted blame for some of the financial issues on to the previous Board and said World Sailing was looking into a possible renegotiation of its office lease as part of cost-cutting measures. Full report.