I am very disappointed with the outcome of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing in respect of my friend and colleague Simon Daubney, particularly when all three tribunals that considered Simon's case over the past year, including the CAS, found that he had not taken a prohibited substance voluntarily, and that it was likely he was the victim of a spiked drink.

The finding that Simon was at fault only because he went to an Official America's Cup Bar within the America's CupPark due to the presence of hostile opposition supporters, when competitors had been encouraged to do so by the Event Organisers, is in my opinion unreasonable and shows a complete lack of appreciation of the America's Cup environment in which competitors were competing. The CAS decision is an injustice and stands in marked contrast to the decision of the America's Cup Jury whose members where present at the America's Cup Match and had a far better understanding of the sport and the environment in Valencia in June 2007.

It is clear from their written decision that the CAS arbitrators preferred to sacrifice an athlete, rather than put the anti-doping rules at risk.

To be clear, I fully support the efforts of those who fight the use of performance enhancing drugs in sport. What I cannot accept however are rules that find a sportsman guilty with the resulting damage to the person and his family, when it has been found that the person in question did not voluntarily or knowingly take a prohibited substance. It is made more difficult to accept when the substance found is performance reducing rather than enhancing.

I have known and sailed with Simon for 25 years and I know he is an honest and loyal sailor who would never put his team mates at risk. Many ofhis colleagues including those now in opposing teams, gave evidencesupporting Simon's character and honesty.

Simon has my unqualified support as well as that of Alinghi, and hewill resume competitive sailing duties as soon as the period of his suspension ends in July 2009.

Brad Butterworth
Skipper
Alinghi

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Last Updated ( Saturday, 11 October 2008 )