America's Cup: Informants exited by America's Cup Events and Emirates Team NZ

Emirates Team New Zealand's base in Auckland's Viaduct Harbour © Richard Gladwell

The America's Cup Defenders Emirates Team New Zealand have published a statement this late this evening, June 29, advising that they have outed a group of "informants" who are claimed to have made "highly defamatory and inaccurate allegations regarding financial and structural matters against ACE, ETNZ and its personnel."

The role of identities of those involved have not been disclosed, however they appear to have been working for America's Cup Events (ACE) the event organisation arm of Emirates Team New Zealand, charged with organising the America's Cup onshore events. Emirates Team New Zealand is the race team and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron are responsible for the on the water race management of the America's Cup regattas in Auckland.

The full statement reads:

Six months ago Emirates Team New Zealand and ACE (America’s Cup Event Ltd) became suspicious that we had informants in the event organisation (ACE), and these suspicions were confirmed when we had confidential and sensitive information coming back to us from Europe very recently.

The motives of the informants who had access to the Emirates Team New Zealand base can only be guessed at, at this stage.

In addition, these people have made highly defamatory and inaccurate allegations regarding financial and structural matters against ACE, ETNZ and its personnel.

These allegations are entirely incorrect.

As a result, the contract of the informants has been terminated.

Although these allegations are baseless, MBIE have no choice but to investigate despite our belief that the motives of the informants are extremely suspect.

We are working with MBIE to close out the remaining issues with them quickly.

Emirates Team New Zealand and ACE will not let this set us back in our America’s Cup defence or hosting of a great event this summer.

The story was broken earlier this evening by Todd Niall, an experienced America's Cup reporter for Stuff.co.nz working in conjunction with another Stuff reporter.

The Stuff story which appeared to predicate the media release from Emirates Team New Zealand can be read by clicking here

For an update on the situation and an interview with Grant Dalton first broadcast on Radio New Zealand, on Tuesday morning (NZT) click here