Philippe Jeantot responds

In response to the story that the Vendee Globe organiser is being investigated for tax evasion

In response to the article run on The Daily Sail last week about Philippe Jeantot being investigated for tax fraud, the former double BOC Challenge winner and creator and organiser of the Vendee Globe singlehanded non-stop round the world race has been on to us to set the record straight.

"The event rights and trademark of the Vendee Globe race have never been owned by the company Sail COM. The limited company Sail Com was put in to liquidation in December 2002, following a VAT dispute for an amount of approximately 150,000 Euros with the French tax authorities.

"SailCOM was a supplier for the organisation of the race, not the rights holder.

"The liquidation of this company has no significance for the organisation of the Vendee Globe 2004, which is managed by CISEM. Article 2 of the Notice of Race published 3 April 2002, and that which the 27 entries to date have signed up to, states this clearly :

"La Course est organisee par “CISEM” avec l’assistance technique de l’UNCL (...) et du SNS (...)" [The race is organised by CISEM, with the assistance of the UNCL (Union Nationale de la Course au Large) and SNS (Sports club of Les Sables d’Olonne)]

"The rights to the Vendee Globe are not for sale, and the race will take place as planned."

Philippe Jeantot
Race Director, Vendee Globe 2004