Belfast Lough’s Chris Lindsay has been appointed Chief Umpire for the 2028 Olympic Sailing Competition in Los Angeles, securing a prominent Irish role in the officiating team for a second successive Games.
World Sailing has confirmed Lindsay among its lead Race Officials for LA28, where he will oversee umpiring as part of the team responsible for ensuring fair racing under the Racing Rules of Sailing.
The appointment continues a significant Olympic career for the Irish official. Lindsay was appointed an International Judge and Umpire for the Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Competition and was previously involved at the Tokyo 2020 Games. World Sailing also noted that he was among the first digital International Technical Official positions appointed at an Olympic Games in Tokyo.
His latest role places him alongside a senior group of officials with extensive Olympic experience.
Spanish official Ana Sanchez Del Campo, who chaired the International Jury at Paris 2024, will retain that position for LA28. France’s Corinne Aubert has been appointed Principal Race Officer, while Britain’s Bas Edmonds and Greece’s Dimitris Dimou will chair the Technical Committees at the Long Beach and Port of Los Angeles venues respectively.
Lindsay is currently Chair of the World Sailing International Umpires Sub-Committee.
The Chief Umpire role will be particularly significant at LA28, where the sailing competition will be split between two venues. Racing is scheduled for 14–30 July 2028, with events taking place in the waters off Belmont Shore in Long Beach and at the Port of Los Angeles.
World Sailing President Quanhai Li said the appointments brought “extensive Olympic experience” across race management, umpiring, jury leadership and technical inspection.
“We are confident their collective expertise will ensure World Sailing delivers an exceptional regatta in close partnership with LA28 and the IOC,” he said.
World Sailing CEO David Graham said the Race Official selections would lead the organisation’s event management team for the Games, following the appointment of two Technical Delegates earlier this year.
The remaining Technical Official positions, including Vice-Chairs, are due to be announced in due course.
Lindsay’s LA28 appointment follows his selection for Paris 2024, when he was the only Irish official among World Sailing’s International Judges and Umpires announced for the Olympic sailing competition.
That appointment was described at the time as Ireland’s sole representation among the group of 59 International Technical Officials from 33 nations.
The LA28 Olympic Sailing Competition will feature racing across two Southern California venues, with Belmont Shore in Long Beach designated as the venue for a number of events and the Port of Los Angeles forming the second competition area.
For Lindsay, the appointment represents another step onto sailing’s biggest international stage, with the Belfast Lough official now set to take responsibility for the umpiring operation at the next Olympic Games.
