The governing body was required to make changes to its Olympic programme for Paris 2024 after new standards of gender balance and universality in equipment were introduced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 

It was agreed to replace the men's and women's two person dinghy with the mixed two person dinghy, the RS:X windsurfer with the foiling iQFOIL class and the finn event with contests in the mixed kite and mixed two person keelboat offshore disciplines. 

This was decided by the World Sailing Council and the member national authorities at the 2018 Annual General Meeting in Sarasota, and is set to be confirmed by the IOC later this year. 

In his monthly newsletter, World Sailing President Kim Andersen revealed the governing body had its first conference call with the IOC sports department about the new event programme for Paris 2024, but a member national authority was attempting to overturn the decision. 

"We have received information that some of our members are trying to bypass the democratic process set out in the regulations of World Sailing regarding the decision for Olympic events and respective equipment," Andersen said. 

"It is important to stress that it is inappropriate to raise questions according to due process, without previously consulting World Sailing and the national authorities of individual members."

More information about the incident can be found in a letter to member national authorities by World Sailing chief executive David Graham, published by Scuttlebutt Sailing News. 

"In the World Sailing Board meeting this month, the Board discussed draft correspondence from a member national authority in circulation about Olympic events and equipment," he said.

"The letter is asking other member national authorities to send a template letter to the IOC in an attempt to overrule a democratic decision made by a majority of member national authorities."

Graham ended his letter by reminding member national authorities to "respect our internal democratic process."

"It is very unlikely to have 100 per cent agreement on every decision, but it is very powerful for the future well-being of our sport if we pull together once a decision is made as a result of our democratic process," he said.

"The Board unanimously urges all members to follow our constitution and respect our internal democratic processes."    

Andersen will bid to be re-elected as President in a virtual ballot on November 1.

The Dane is being challenged by Spaniard Gerardo Seeliger and Uruguay's Scott Perry, while insidethegames understands that China's Quanhai Li is likely to enter the race.