Clarisse Cremer case: anonymous emails denied, sailor is innocent

We had told you about the anonymous allegations that had been made against French sailor Clarisse Cremer, pointing the finger at the skipper suspecting outside help at the last Vendée Globe. An accusation that, if found to be true, would have handed Cremer a heavy disqualification and exclusion from the upcoming Vendée Globe. Vendée Globe President Alain Leboeuf , however, released a statement to the media that completely exonerates Clarisse Cremer.

Clarisse Cremer – The Vendée Globe President’s Version.

“On February 12 of this year.” Leboeuf began in his note to the press., “the President of the French Sailing Federation informed me of the anonymous e-mail she had just received, in which she so chesteneva Clarisse Crémer would benefit from the routing information of her husband Tanguy Le Turquais during the 2020-2021 Vendée Globe .

The Federation asked the Vendée Globe to appoint a Jury to analyze the veracity of the information and its content. The International Jury is absolutely convinced that there was no misconduct on the part of either Clarisse Crémer or Tanguy Le Turquais, and you will understand that it is not my place to comment in any way on a decision made by the federal sports authority.”

Case dismissed then, with the Vendée Globe having every interest in it ending like this without further fuss. However, there remains bitterness in the mouth for a story, the one concerning Clarisse Cremer over the past year, that certainly does not do the transalpine sailing world too much credit. First the sailor was fired by sponsor Banque Populaire because she was pregnant. After finding a new sponsor and a new boat, L’Occitaine, and with the help of Alex Thomson, Cremer got back on track only to receive these anonymous allegations last month.

Unsigned mail that arrived 3 years after the end of the regatta, a regrettable manner that does not denote great sportsmanship on the part of the complainant. In fact, at the Vendèe Globe, as in all regattas, there are the appropriate venues to file official, transparent, and signed protests. In any case, the problem does not exist because no infringement of the Vendée Globe regatta rules was found for Clarisse Cremer, so we will see her at the start of the next round-the-world race in November 2024.

Mauro Giuffrè