Email Print
Sowrey; ‘tried to move Rio event’
27 Jan 2016
Peter Sowrey; ‘fired for trying to keep sailors out of Guanabara filth’
GUANABARA FILTH: The former CEO of World Sailing, Peter Sowrey, says he was fired for pushing to get rid of polluted Guanabara Bay as the sailing venue of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
According to an Associated Press (AP) story today, Mr Sowrey says he “tried to change the venue, or at least have a B plan”, but says “I was told to gag myself on the subject.”
Instead of sending sailors into the filth of Guanabara Bay, Mr Sowrey proposed moving the event to Buzios, a coastal resort about 160 kilometres (100 miles) from Rio that has been host to large sailing events.
“The board felt I was way too aggressive,” Mr Sowrey said. “They basically voted me out. I didn’t resign. The board finally told me to leave.”
Sowrey said looking at Guanabara Bay on “fact based, data driven models we would never consider sailing in that quality of water.”