Alinghi's Kiwi aces face revenge expulsion bid

By ANNE BESTON

Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth face expulsion from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron after a complaint against them from a life member.

Squadron commodore Bill Endean said yesterday that life member and waterfront businessman John Street had asked the club, which holds the America's Cup, to consider expelling the pair for "taking information with them that has gone to another syndicate".

The complaint would be considered at a meeting of the 13-member committee on March 27.

"There are allegations, which require proof, and that proof hasn't been provided by the member," Mr Endean said.

"It's not a simple exercise."

He said the complaint alleged Coutts and Butterworth had broken a club rule because their conduct had been "injurious to the character or interests of the squadron".

The pair are long-time members of the RNZYS, which is based at Westhaven.

Coutts has been a life member since 1995, and Butterworth an ordinary member since 1981.

Butterworth said yesterday that he would be "horrified" by any attempt to revoke his membership.

He was proud to be a member of the squadron.



Mr Street, a member of the defunct BlackHeart campaign and owner of a marine export company and ship chandlers, said his life membership was tarnished by having to share the honour with Coutts.

"He chose to change sides and now he's trying to take the America's Cup away from the club," he said.

The club was the custodian of the cup, and it was important it remained in the club's possession.



"I just don't know how anyone can desert their country."

Mr Endean said the nature of the complaint was unusual.

Breaches of rules of behaviour, although rare, usually involved altercations between people or complaints of abusive behaviour.

The acceptable conduct rules were wide-ranging and he was discussing with Mr Street how seriously his complaint should be taken.

He would not be drawn on whether he thought the complaint had any merit.

"My personal view is that we haven't completed the America's Cup yet, so the member's complaint possibly is premature."

Asked what might happen if Alinghi won the cup, Mr Endean replied:

"I'm not going there. I am supporting our team and we're part-way through a regatta and I'm not going to be drawn into any conclusions about what might or might not happen.

"We have other members who are members of other syndicates and those members' conduct has not been complained of, so the complainant is perhaps being a little selective but not necessarily so."

nzherald.co.nz/americascup

Racing schedule and results