Yachting: One Kiwi sits on the juror panel

Graham McKenzie.

There is a New Zealander, Graham McKenzie, on the five-person international jury which is investigating allegations of cheating by Oracle Team USA in the America's Cup World Series.

The jury has responsibility for interpreting and applying the America's cup Deed of Gift, the Protocol and the Racing Rules of Sailing (America's Cup edition). They will preside over one of the most serious incidents in Cup history and must decide if there was wrongdoing.

The jury is also tasked with being truly independent (ie not being too close to or too swayed by any of the competing teams or personnel) and have won much respect for their even-handed stewardship of the 34th America's Cup so far. The members are:

David Tillett (Australia), chairman

A lawyer, Tillett is well known and respected. He has been a juror at the 31st, 32nd and 33rd America's Cups as well as an umpire at the 28th and 29th America's Cups. He has been a jury member at five Olympic Games, chairman in 2004, 2008 and 2012. An international judge for over 20 years, he was the chairman of (the international sailing federation) ISAF's Racing Rules Committee from 2000 until 2012.

John Doerr (Great Britain)

A dinghy world champion in 1978 and Olympic triallist in the Finn class in 1980 and 1984, he has been an international judge since 1987 and an international umpire since 1990. He is a past chairman of the ISAF Race Officials Committee and currently a member of the ISAF Racing Rules and Race Officials Committees. He was jury chairman and chief umpire for the 29th America's Cup and a jury member for the 33rd America's Cup. He has served on the International Jury at the last five Olympic Games.

Bryan Willis (Great Britain but lives in Malaysia)

A marine arbitrator and a former judge in Britain's lower criminal courts, he has been an international umpire, and an international judge since 1976. A jury member and chief umpire in the 28th America's Cup, he was also chairman of the jury and chief umpire in the 30th and 31st America's Cups, chairman of the combined Jury and Arbitration Panel for the 32nd America's Cup and member of the jury for the 33rd America's Cup. He was a jury member for the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games and jury chairman of the 2000 Olympic Games and three Volvo Ocean Races.

Josje Hofland (Netherlands)

An international judge since 1992 and an international umpire between 1992 and 2000, she was a jury member in the 29th and 33rd America's Cup. Chief umpire in the challenger finals and deputy chief umpire in the 29th America's Cup. She has also been a member of the Jury in four Olympic Games and is a past chairman of ISAF's Judges and Umpires sub-committees and past member of the Racing Rules and Race Officials Committee.

Graham McKenzie (New Zealand)

A commercial lawyer, he is a director of companies listed on the stock exchange and unlisted companies in the hotel, aviation and finance sector businesses. He was a member of the combined Jury and Arbitration Panel for the 32nd America's Cup and a jury member for the 33rd America's Cup. A competing sailor in keelboats, he is a member of the ISAF Constitution Committee.