MANCHESTER UNITED chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe is at the centre of a storm after Olympic icon Sir Ben Ainslie claimed he was hit with a “burn your house down” threat.
Ainslie claims he was told Ratcliffe would come after him unless he handed over his team’s assets and intellectual property, according to High Court documents.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is at the centre of a storm after Olympic legend Sir Ben Ainslie claimed he was hit with a burn your house down threat from his employees Credit: Getty
Sir Ben Ainslie built the boat with Man Utd owner Ratcliffe that is now the subject of a high court battle Credit: AP
The alleged threat was apparently delivered by Jean-Claude Blanc and Rob Nevin, the chief executive and chairman of Ineos Sport.
It allegedly occurred in Ainslie’s Barcelona office back in October 2024, mere hours before Britain’s most successful sailor was due to try to make history in the America’s Cup against New Zealand.
Ratcliffe, whose worth is valued at more than £13.5bn, backed Ainslie’s Athena Racing team by pumping millions into the project to try and create history.
The teams split last year and the to force Ainslie to hand back the £180m boat they built together for the 2024 America’s Cup campaign.
Ainslie defence claims that Nevin said: “We have a phrase at Ineos: ‘scorched earth’. It means that if you don’t give Jim what he wants, he will burn your house down.”
The filing, prepared by Meysan Partners UK LLP, adds that Ainslie “attempted to defuse the situation by reminding Mr Nevin that the first AC37 race would be beginning shortly.
Nevin then allegedly doubled down, explaining that the only instance in which Ratcliffe had walked away from a dispute was one concerning the state of the People’s Republic of China.
In documents seen by The Telegraph , it is claimed Blanc and Nevin told Ainslie that Ratcliffe would only back future America’s Cup campaigns if he transferred “all of [the team’s] assets and intellectual property”.
The legal battle centres around the yacht Britannia, right, which took part in the America’s cup in 2021 and 2024 Credit: EPA
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Ainslie has made several serious allegations during his defence against a High Court action pursued by Ratcliffe’s Ineos.
One of those allegations includes “false imprisonment” in January 2025 immediately after the organisations split.
It involves allegedly locking Ainslie and his Athena colleagues inside their Northamptonshire offices after the two entities split.
Ineos filed a claim in April and stated that “having provided approximately £174million of funding for the design, construction and testing of a racing yacht and related assets.
“The Claimant is entitled under the Agreement to ownership of those assets following its expiry.
“Wrongfully and in breach of contract, however, the Defendant has refused to transfer these assets to the Claimant and has wrongly disputed its obligation to do so.
Ratcliffe funded Ainslie’s team for two America’s Cup cycles.
The first one was in Auckland in 2021 and then again in Barcelona in 2024 – both times the Brits fell short of victory.
Sir Ben Ainslie (left) and Sir Jim Ratcliffe Credit: PA:Press Association
The 38th America’s Cup will take place in Naples next year and Olympic hero Ainslie is involved in a new British outfit under the GB1 brand.
But Ineos claim the vessel cannot be used without their permission – and must be returned immediately.
Ainslie’s defence is filed against Ineos Racing Limited, although he states in the filing that “the Claimant [Ineos Racing] is ultimately controlled and directed, whether directly or indirectly, by Sir Jim Ratcliffe” and the Ineos Group.
There is further frustration for Ratcliffe after a Bloomberg report cited that United’s majority owning
The timing of the move is heavily tied to the massive financial commitments around United’s new ‘Wembley of the North’.
The Glazers have been
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
